


A Chance

by charmed4lifekaren



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Season/Series 01, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:43:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 62,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2169846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charmed4lifekaren/pseuds/charmed4lifekaren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if her mother wasn’t the person that May called after leaving Providence? What if she called her wife who happens to be Natasha Romanoff how or if at all would that have changed the end of season one and beyond? MM/NR. More relationships to come.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:**  What if her mother wasn't the person that May called after leaving Providence? What if she called her wife who happens to be Natasha Romanoff how would that have changed the end of season one and beyond? This is the first Agents of SHIELD fic where I haven't got Philinda or a relationship involving May and Coulson as the main pair, let me know what you think.

* * *

After she left Providence Base Melinda knew that there were only two people that she can trust enough to call. The first is her mother and the second is Natasha Romanoff, her wife. Even though Melinda and Natasha have technically been separated for three years, since six months after the Bahrain mission, Melinda knows that Natasha Is someone she can trust completely and unlike her mother she won't get an lecture if she calls, so as soon as Melinda is far enough away from Providence to make a phone call that is exactly what she does, calls Natasha at a number which she knows for a fact no one else on the planet knows.

Once Melinda dials the number she waits as it rings, hoping that Natasha will answer,

"Hello." Natasha answers and for the first time in days Melinda feels relief.

"Hi." Melinda responds.

"Are you hurt?" Natasha asks after a pause.

"A bullet wound, a few bruises, nothing that won't heal. You?" Melinda asks.

"Pretty much the same." Natasha answers, "But my physical injuries don't bother me." Natasha admits.

"It was you wasn't it?" Melinda asks, "You're the one who released everything."

"It was." Natasha confirms not needing to ask how Melinda knew that because she knows her very well, "Where were you?" Natasha asks, knowing that she doesn't have to say anymore because Melinda will know what she is talking about.

"Unconscious in a interrogation room." Melinda responds.

"What!" Natasha says surprised.

"It's a long story." Melinda reveals, "Not exactly one I want to discuss over the phone."

"Where are you?" Natasha asks.

"Canada." Melinda answers, "But I'm on foot and I should keep moving." Melinda explains.

"How far can you get in seven hours?" Natasha asks curious.

"Um, outside of Ontario." Melinda answers doing the math in her head.

"I see you in seven hours." Natasha says hanging up the phone before Melinda can say anymore.

"See you then." Melinda says to the hung up phone. Checking to make sure that she isn't being followed Melinda picks up her back and continues to walk, as she does she decides what she is going to tell Natasha.

* * *

Melinda has been walking for over seven hour when she hears a car behind her. She turns to see a black sports car driving behind her. The car pulls over to the side of the road ahead of Melinda and the driver's side door opens and Natasha gets out removing her sun glasses as she does.

"So you going to explain why you're in Canada?" Natasha asks curious as she opens the trunk.

"It's a long story." Melinda tells her as she puts her bag in the trunk.

"I'm guessing we're going to have time." Natasha responds.

"True. I need your help with something." Melinda informs Natasha.

"I figured." Natasha responds, "What do you need?"

"I need to find Maria. There is something only she can help me with." Melinda explains.

"Well then I guess it's a good thing I know exactly where to find her." Natasha tells Melinda, "But it's definitely going to be a long drive." Natasha says as she closes the trunk of the car.

"Good thing I've got the story to fill the time then." Melinda comments the smallest of smiles on her face as she decided that she is going to tell Natasha everything because she is done keeping secrets from the people she cares about, "Thank you for coming."

"What's a wife for." Natasha comments with a grin as they both head to the respective sides of the car, "Although I am curious why you called me out of everyone you could have called." She comments as while they stayed as close to friends as they could be after they separated things have been tense and awkward between them.

"I needed someone I could completely trust and these days that list is a very short one." Melinda explains as they start to drive.

"Well I'm honoured to be on that list." Natasha jokes though there is an undertone of seriousness to her words.

"You're top of the list." Melinda tells Natasha, "You always have been." Melinda says knowing Natasha well enough to know how serious she actually is.

"Don't you have a story to tell?" Natasha asks curious, changing the subject "One that explains where you have been for the past year."

"Right I did, I do." Melinda comments, "I guess I'll start at the beginning." She says then sighs, "Phil's alive." She reveals.

"What?" Natasha asks surprised, completely shocked although you would think that after recent events she would be used to people not being dead, "How?"

"He did die, he was dead for days but Fury used experimental procedures and alien DNA to change that." Melinda explains, "But because of what was done Phil couldn't know what was done to him." Melinda explains an even though she wants to comment Natasha stays quite, letting Melinda finish her explanation, "Fury told me and he asked me to keep an eye on Phil, join his team, so I did."

"You went back into the field?" Natasha asks surprised as she knows better than anyone why Melinda chose to leave the field, what it would have done to her if she stayed.

"Not at first." Melinda explains, "I was just the pilot but that changed after a couple of missions."

"How are you doing with that?" Natasha asks curious.

"Better than I was." Melinda answers, "I'm….okay." Melinda says hesitantly trying to find the right word.

"Really?" Natasha asks turning her head to look at Melinda.

"Really." Melinda responds and she reaches over and hesitantly grabs Natasha's hand, half expecting her to pull away, but to her surprised and relief she doesn't.

For a couple of minutes Natasha and Melinda drive in silence, neither of them letting go of each other's hand.

"So why do you need to find Maria?" Natasha asks curious.

"I know that Phil had memories implanted and I know that it wasn't Fury who was in charge of the project and I need to know who it was, more specifically who it wasn't." Melinda explains.

"You're worried it was Pierce." Natasha realises.

"Can you blame me?" Melinda asks curious.

"Not at all." Natasha responds.

"Phil won't accept help from me anymore." Melinda reveals, "He said I'm not a friend. I'm hoping that he will accept help from Maria." She explains.

"Phil actually said that?" Natasha asks shocked as she knows how close Phil and Melinda are, how close they have always been.

"He was angry when he found out that I knew what happened to him since the beginning and that I kept it from him. I don't blame him for his anger, but I wish he would realise that I did what I did because I care." Melinda explains, it feeling better than she would admit to actually have someone that she trusts enough to be completely open with or as open as she lets herself be, though with Natasha that is quite open.

"He will eventually. You and Phil have been best friends for decades. You would never hurt him on purpose and he should know that." Natasha comments, feeling a small bit of anger at Phil as she can tell even if Melinda won't admit it that his words hurt her.

"He won't forgive me until I make this right, until I find him some answers." Melinda responds.

"Is his reaction why you were unconscious in a interrogation room when Hydra came out into the open?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yeah." Melinda answers, "One of the members of our team, Fitz, found the encrypted hard line I had been using to contact Fury." Melinda explain, "Phil was angry and it didn't help that I wouldn't tell him anything because I was under orders not to so when our plane's avionics got taken over he shot me in the chest with an ICER." Melinda explains.

"What's an ICER?" Natasha asks a hint of anger clear.

"An invention of the scientist on our team it's an incapacitating Cartridge Emitting Railgun." Melinda explains.

"And Phil shot you with that?" Natasha asks angrily, making an internal note to have a conversation with Coulson at some point.

"Yep, and put me in the interrogation room on the plane." Melinda explains, "That's where I was when the Hydra call to arms came out." She explains.

"Did Hydra take over your plane avionics?" Natasha asks curious.

"No." Melinda answers, "Victoria Hand did. She through Phil was Hydra."

"Seriously?" Natasha asks surprised, "Victoria Hand thought that the biggest Captain America fan boy on the planet was a Hydra agent?" she asks.

"Yep." Melinda responds, "Ridiculous isn't it." Melinda comments, "Garrett's Hydra by the way, or he was, he's dead."

"Garrett's Hydra?" Natasha asks wanting to be sure she heard right and Melinda nods, "So out of the old gang that makes Garrett and Sitwell Hydra. What about Blake?" she asks curious.

"He's in ICU." Melinda answers, "He was attacked by a man who was turned into a super solider and was being controlled by Garrett." Melinda explains, "Have you heard from Clint?" she asks wanting to know if her friend is okay.

"Right after the Triskelion fell." Natasha answers, "He's going to make his way to New York, to Stark, but it's going to take him a while to get into the country without being noticed." Natasha explains, "He's safe."

"Good." Melinda answers relieved that he is okay.

"So how did you end up in Canada?" Natasha asks curious, "If Hand took control of your plane then you would have been at the Hub right?" Natasha asks curious and Melinda nods, "So how did you get from the Hub to Canada?"

"Along with Hand our team secured the Hub." Melinda explains, "Once it was Hand along with a member of our team took Garrett to the Fridge. Phil started damage control and that's what we were doing unit Colonel Glenn Talbot called and said he was coming to take control of the hub." Melinda explains, "Our team plus one of Garrett's former team who have worked with us in the past left before Talbot could get to us and we had no idea where we were going until Phil got a coordinates on his badge which he was sure were from Fury which lead us to a secret base in Canada." Melinda explains.

"And you left to get Phil answers." Natasha realises, "What did he said when you left?"

"He doesn't know." Melinda admits, "He went to Portland with three members of our team to protect Audrey from an escaped prisoner from the Fridge."

"So he doesn't know you left." Natasha comments.

"He told me to, so I listened." Melinda explains.

"For once." Natasha jokes.

"Yeah." Melinda responds with a grin, "So what exactly happened in DC?" Melinda asks curious and Natasha tells her story.

* * *

For the next couple of hours Melinda and Natasha drive. After Natasha finishes telling her story of what happened in DC, they start to just talk about random things, catching up on things they have missed. Being more relaxed and open with one another than they have been in a long time.

"Feel like some food?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yeah, I don't remember the last time I ate." Melinda admits, "Plus I think it's time I changed the bandage on my arm.

"Bullet wound?" Natasha asks.

"Bullet wound." Melinda confirms, "What about you do you need to change bandages?" Melinda asks curious.

"Well there is a diner in a few miles, we can stop there." Natasha suggests, "And yeah, I do."

"Sounds good to me." Melinda responds.

"Good." Natasha responds and the pair drift into silence.

* * *

Forty minutes after they decided to stop for food Melinda and Natasha are in the bathroom of a road side dinner. Melinda has helped Natasha change the bandages on her shoulder and Natasha is now helping Melinda do the same with her arm.

"You always did heal quickly." Natasha comments as she uses paper towel to clean Melinda's wound.

"Something which comes in handy." Melinda responds.

"Has the pain gone yet?" Natasha asks curious.

"From the wound, yeah." Melinda answers, "The rest, not so much."

"We had to tear it all down, it was the only way." Natasha says looking directly at Melinda, there being basically no space between the pair.

"I know." Melinda responds, "You did the right thing." Melinda assures Natasha, "It's just that for thirty years SHIELD has been my world, the one solid thing I had, and now it's gone." Melinda comments, "And I don't know what that means, not really." Melinda admits.

"You're not alone in that." Natasha comments, there being a subtext to her words that she knows Melinda will pick up on.

"I know." Melinda responds, "I didn't just call you because I needed someone I could trust to help me find Maria I called you because I wanted to see you, see for myself that you are okay." Melinda admits, "I wanted you Nat." Melinda reveals, saying Natasha's name for the first time since she called her.

"If you hadn't off called me I would have called you, found you. I would have even gone to your mother to find you if I had to." Natasha admits, "I want you too Mel." Natasha admits and neither of them being sure who acted first the pair exchange their first kiss since their separation, a kiss which reminds them both of the early days of their marriage, before everything went to hell.

For at least several minutes the pair kiss and then neither sure who pulled away fist the pair finally break apart.

"I'm sorry." Melinda says her voice barely above a whisper, realising that she owes Natasha something.

"What for?" Natasha asks confused as their heads rest on each other's foreheads.

"For pushing you away after Bahrain." Melinda admits as she knows that their separation was her fault. She hurt so many people in Bahrain that she was positive that she was just going to hurt Natasha so she pushed her away. Something which she now regrets.

"I'm sorry for letting you push me away." Natasha responds and before either of them can say anymore a loud knock from outside the room can be heard.

"HURRY UP. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO USE THE BATHROOM." A voice says.

After exchanging a look and a smile, they both put their jackets back on and dispose of the bloody bandages and paper towels that they used to treat each other's wounds.

"Where does this leave us?" Melinda asks curious wanting something concrete after all the uncertainty of the last few days and knowing that she can't cope with things not being right, or being on the path to becoming right between them anymore.

"With a chance to figure things out." Natasha responds, unknowingly wanting the same thing as Melinda, "If we want to catch Maria as she leaves congress we should eat quickly." She says and Melinda nods.

"I'm driving." Melinda says as they head to the door.

"I guess I can let you." Natasha responds with a sigh.

"You should considering it's my car." Melinda comments as they unlock the bathroom and leave hand in hand.

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice that." Natasha comments with a grin and Melinda rolls her eyes.

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

**AN1:** Thank you so much for your response to this story. It means a lot to me. This will be a multi chapter fic, though I'm currently not sure how many chapters it will be exactly though I do have a plan.

* * *

After eating rather quickly Melinda and Natasha are back on the road, the only difference from before is that this time Melinda is driving. They drive for another few hours before arriving back in DC and heading near where they know they will find Maria Hill.

"So how do you want to do this?" Natasha asks as because of the fact that it's Melinda who needs to talk to Hill she decides how they proceeded.

"I'll take out the surveillance team and corner Maria to talk to her." Melinda says.

"The alley would be a good place to do that." Natasha says and Melinda nods.

"Then I'll ask her my questions." Melinda explains.

"You'll have a couple of minutes max before the FBI swops in." Natasha points out.

"Guess I better make them count." Melinda comments.

"I stay in the car, keep an eye on things, get you out of trouble if you need it." Natasha says to Melinda.

"Thanks." Melinda responds, "See you in about ten minutes." Melinda says getting out of the car.

"Good luck." Natasha says once the door closes.

After leaving Natasha Melinda makes her way to the building that Maria should be exiting out of any minute. As soon as Maria exits she start to take down all of the surveillance package and then to the alley where she has a conversation with Maria about Coulson, Fury and T.A.H.I.T.I.

"You should contact Natasha." Maria informs Melinda, "One of the first things she asked me when she saw me after she found out about Hydra was where you were stationed." Maria reveals.

"Already have." Melinda tells her friend, "She's waiting in the car." Melinda explains as they hear the sirens get closer, "See you Hill." Melinda says before disappearing into the night and making her way back to her wife.

As Natasha waits in the car she becomes worried as she hears the sires getting closer even though she knows that Melinda can look after herself better than anyone she knows,

"Come on Mel. Get back here." Natasha says to herself as the sires get very, very close.

"Drive." Melinda says getting back into the car

"What did Maria have to say?" Natasha asks curious as she drives.

"She said that she didn't know who Fury took orders from, but she gave me a clue about where I could find some answers." Melinda admits.

"Where?" Natasha asks curious.

"Maria said that when she asked Fury about who was behind the T.A.H.I.T.I project that he said that he decided to burry that information when he decided not to burry Phil." Melinda says, "If that means what I think it means then I know exactly where to go." Melinda tells Natasha.

"Phil's grave." Natasha says without a pause, both of them knowing Fury well enough to decipher his cryptic, "You want to dig up Phil's grave." She realises.

"Yep." Melinda answers, "You don't have to come with me." Melinda tells Natasha, knowing that asking her to help her dig up the empty grave of their friend is a lot to ask of your estranged wife.

"Of course I do." Natasha comments with a grin, "Plus it's been a while since I've done any grave robbing, could be fun." Natasha jokes and Melinda rolls her eyes, though she is glad to have Natasha's help, and company.

* * *

Once they realise that they need to dig up a grave Melinda and Natasha stop to get supplies before heading to the cemetery where Coulson's empty coffin is.

Once they get to the cemetery and reach Coulson's grave Melinda just stairs at the headstone for a couple of minutes.

"Mel?" Natasha asks concerned.

"It was weeks before Nick told me Phil was alive. After, when you saw me I still believed the lies." Melinda explains, both of them remember after Phil's 'death' when Natasha found Melinda in her apartment mourning the loss of her best friend with scotch and almost self-destructive anger.

"He's alive Mel." Natasha points out, "This is just an empty grave."

"You're right." Melinda says looking away from the grave and to Natasha, "Let's start digging."

"Yes Ma'am." Natasha responds with a grin.

Even with two of them it takes the better part of a few hours to dig up Phil's grave.

"I think I've found it." Melinda says and Natasha walks, inside the grave over to her.

"A flash drive?" Natasha asks.

"Makes sense considering." Melinda says and they climb their way out of the grave, as they do there find a man with flowers standing there.

"My condolences." Melinda says as they walk past him and head back to the car.

"Let's see what we've got here." Natasha says pulling a laptop out from underneath the seat.

"T.A.H.I.T.I project supervisor to director Fury, finale report." Melinda reads when she sees what comes up on the screen.

"Exactly what we want." Natasha comments, "Guess it's a good thing we learnt to decode Nick's cryptic a long time ago." She says.

"Yeah, it is." Melinda says as she presses play and along with Natasha they watch the video with surprise.

"That's not what I was expecting." Natasha comments once the video stops.

"Me either." Melinda responds, "We need to warn him. He needs to know what could happen." Melinda comments as Natasha feels her phone vibrate so she pulls it out of her pocket.

"He and Maria are on their way to LA." Natasha reveals.

"They are?" Melinda asks surprised as even though she knows that Natasha tends to know everything she is confused about how she could know that.

"Maria just texted me to tell you." Natasha explains, "Guess we're going to LA." She says starting the car.

"We?" Melinda asks wondering if, and hoping that, Natasha means what she thinks she means.

"We." Natasha confirms as she turns onto the main road.

* * *

Because both Melinda and Natasha are worried about what could happen if they stop they take turns sleeping and driving, so that they only stop if they absolutely have to.

"Did Maria say where she is going to meet us?" Melinda asks curious as they arrive in LA, Natasha driving as they switched a couple of hours earlier.

"Yep." Natasha answers, "We should be there in about five." She reveals.

"Good." Melinda responds and a few minutes later they park the car and they both get out.

The meeting place that Maria said she would meet them is another alley because with all the security issues around it is a location that they can control.

Melinda and Natasha wait for a few minutes until they see a figure walking towards them. Because they can't see the person's face they both prepare for a fight until they realise it's Maria, when they see her they relax a bit, though they are both still completely on alert.

"I've got bad news. A lot of bad news." Maria says looking at Melinda.

"Of course you do." Melinda says with a sigh, "What happened?"

"Well to start with Ward's Hydra, and Garrett's alive." Maria reveals.

"Ward is Hydra?" Melinda asks her voice dangerously low.

"Yeah." Maria responds, "He took Skye."

"Is she okay?" Melinda asks the anger that was in her voice completely gone and having been replaced with concern.

"Yeah, Phil rescued her, but Ward shot Lola." Maria reveals.

"He shot Lola." Natasha and Melinda respond in shock as both of them know what Lola means to Phil

"Does he have a death wish?" Natasha asks curious.

"He called you eye candy so he might." Maria reveals.

"He did?" Natasha asks and Maria nods, "Might have to have a conversation with him." she comments.

"Where are Ward and Garrett now?" Melinda asks curious.

"No idea. They have your plane though." Maria responds, "And Phil's going to go after them."

"Where is Phil?" Melinda asks, "And my Team?"

"A hotel. The Sleep Easy about twenty minutes from here." Maria explains.

"Then that's where I'm going." Melinda says, "I have to tell Phil what I found and I can't let Ward get away, not after what he did." She says and as she does Natasha realises that there is more to the story of Ward than what Melinda has said.

"Think Phil would mind getting another team member?" Natasha asks curious causing both Melinda and Maria to look at her surprised.

"I thought you wanted out." Melinda says to her wife, "That you were done fighting, spying."

"I told Steve that I burned all my covers and that I needed to figure out a new one." Natasha says, "Well I think I've figured it out, what I want to be the most at the moment is your wife. If you'll have me that is." Natasha tells Melinda, putting herself out there more than she usually does as she wants a chance to make things right with Melinda as even with everything that has happened between them Melinda still means a lot to her and she hopes that she means a lot to Melinda.

"Of course I will." Melinda responds, without hesitation, and the pair once more exchange a kiss as Maria mutters "Finally." As she has been waiting for three years for them to get back together.

"Are you sure that you're okay with fighting?" Melinda asks ignoring Maria, wanting to make sure that Natasha is okay with her choice.

"As long as I'm fighting alongside you, yeah." Natasha responds, not completely alright with what she knows she is going to have to do but because she wants a chance to work on things between her and Melinda it makes it what she wants to do.

"Okay, I'll be going now." Maria says interrupting the look that Melinda and Natasha are exchanging, "Call if you need anything." She tells them.

"We will." Melinda responds and with a nod Maria disappears from the alley and Melinda and Natasha head back to their car.

"So what's the full story with you and Ward?" Natasha asks interested, managing to hold out a few minutes before asking.

"I was wondering when you would ask about that." Melinda comments and she sighs, "A few months ago we found an Asgardian weapon known as the Berserker Staff." Melinda explains, "If you touch the staff it causes you to get superhuman strength rooted in rage supplied by your darkest emotion and memories." Melinda explains.

"You fought with it." Natasha realises and Melinda nods.

"So did Ward." Melinda adds, "Afterwards we started having sex to deal." Melinda explains, there being no emotion in her voice, it being clear that she is just stating facts "I ended it when I thought he was getting attached and I realised he was in love someone else, wonder if that was an act." Melinda muses.

"Guess that's two things I want to have a conversation with him about." Natasha comments, "That staff doesn't seem like fun." She comments wondering what it did to Melinda to hold it, to fight with it, but deciding not to ask directly.

"It's not." Melinda tells her, "Are we still good?" Melinda asks, internally hoping that she hasn't screwed things up with Natasha just as they are starting to be okay between them again.

"We've been separated for three years Mel, a lot has happened." Natasha points out, "Hell a few days ago I kissed Captain America." Natasha reveals.

"Wow, better not tell Phil that he would be extremely jealous." Melinda comments and Natasha laughs

"He really would be." Natasha confirms, "We need to start fresh. After everything it's the only way this is going to work." She tells Melinda, knowing that between them they have a lot of baggage.

"Agreed." Melinda responds as she start the car.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Melinda and Natasha arrive at the hotel where Coulson and the rest of Melinda's team are.

"That your team?" Natasha asks curious as they spot people by the pool.

"Yeah." Melinda confirms.

"Who's who?" Natasha asks curious.

"Well Tripp is the one who just got pushed into the pool." Melinda explains as they watch what's going on from the car park, "Skye's the one who pushed him and Simmons is the one laughing with Skye and Fitz is the one running away from Skye and Simmons before they push him in." Melinda explains, glad to see them being so relaxed and carefree after everything they have gone through.

"And Phil is attempting to tell them off." Natasha comments, "So how are we going to do this?"

"Sneak into Phil's room works for me, what about you?" Melinda asks.

"Sounds good to me." Natasha confirms and they both sneak into Coulson's room. Melinda stands in the shadows but more in the light that Natasha while Natasha stays more in the dark so that she cannot be seen.

Melinda and Natasha have only been waiting for a couple of minutes when the door open and Phil walks back in.

"I was hoping you would come back." Coulson informs May, "Ward's…" he begins to say.

"I know." Melinda says before he has a chance to say anymore, "Hill told us." She says, "There is something you need to see." She reveals.

"Us?" Phil asks confused, "Who's us?"

"I'm surprised you have to ask Phil." Natasha says walking out from where she is standing, "And while I want to talk to you about the fact that you're alive and the fact that you shot my wife in the chest, there is something that you need to see first." Natasha explains.

"Good seeing you too Natasha." Phil comments, truly meaning his words, as he has missed his friend, "What do you need to show me?" he asks looking between Natasha and Melinda

"You wanted to know who was behind The T.A.H.I.T.I project, well this is what we found." Melinda tells Coulson grabbing the laptop that she and Natasha brought with them and pressing play.

As the video plays Natasha and Melinda watch Coulson for his reaction.

"Huh." Coulson says when it finishes.

"Not the reaction I was expecting." Natasha comments.

"Phil?" Melinda asks.

"So I could go crazy at any moment." Phil says.

"At least now that we know what to expect. We can keep our eyes open." Melinda tells Phil.

"Are you sticking around?" Phil asks them both, though he is looking at Melinda, interested.

"We both are." Melinda answers with a nod.

"I'm sorry for what I said." Phil tells Melinda, "For what I did." He says, "I was mean and you didn't deserve that." He tells Melinda.

"I did lie." Melinda says.

"For the right reasons." Phil says, "You lied because you cared and I never should have doubted that." He tells Melinda, "I'm sorry." He tells Melinda.

"So am I." Melinda responds.

"Aw I've missed the entertainment you two give me." Natasha comments amused, "But we still need to have several conversations Phil." Natasha tells her friend, the amusement that was in her voice disappearing.

"Sure." Coulson responds, not surprised by it and knowing that he owes Natasha several conversations.

"First I'm glad you're alive." Natasha says hugging Coulson, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Coulson responds.

"Second don't even think about shooting Mel again." Natasha tells Coulson, her voice completely serious and having an undertone of a threat present.

"Nat." Melinda says, slight annoyance to her voice.

"It's okay Melinda." Phil says, "I kind of deserve it." He admits.

"More than kind of." Natasha tells him.

"Where is the rest of the team?" Melinda asks before Natasha or Coulson can say anymore.

"Rooms 113 and 114." Coulson tells Melinda, "I'll go get them." he says leaving the room.

"Threatening Phil? Really?" Melinda asks Natasha as soon as Coulson leaves the room.

"He shot you." Natasha says in a defensive tone, "And I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't have said anything about it, so I did." Natasha explains.

"I thought you would have been more angry about the fact that he kept the fact that he is alive a secret." Melinda says walking over and sitting down next to Natasha who is sitting on the bed.

"He was following orders." Natasha says with a shrug, "I get it, I don't like it but I get it." She tells Melinda as the door opens.

"You're back." Skye says happily as Melinda and Natasha stand and Skye comes over and gives Melinda a hug.

"Yeah I am." Melinda comments awkwardly returning the hug as she looks at Natasha who has a look of amusement on her face.

"Skye, Tripp, Fitz, Simmons there is someone I would like you to meet." Melinda says, "This is Agent Natasha Romanoff, my wife." Melinda introduces and Melinda, Natasha and Coulson are amused about the looks of complete shock on Tripp, Skye, Fitz and Simmons's faces.

"You're married?" Skye asks shocked, "To an Avenger?" she asks and Melinda nods, "That's soo cool." Skye comments and Natasha laughs.

"Glad you think so." Natasha responds amused.

"So the S.H.I.E.L.D rumours were right?" Tripp asks curious.

"There are always some bases in truth when it comes to S.H.I.E.L.D rumours." Natasha comments though she knows how ridiculous some of them can be.

"But not a lot." Melinda says knowing that Fitz, Simmons and Tripp would have heard the rumours and will tell Skye the rumours as soon as she asks so looking at Natasha they have a conversation without talking and decide to tell them the basics of their story. "We got married six years ago. Have been separated for three, that's all you need to know." Melinda tells her team, all of whom nod.

"We should get a room." Natasha comments, "I'm guess you didn't get a spare one." She says looking at Coulson.

"Sorry." Phil responds.

"It's okay." Melinda responds, "We'll see you in the morning." Melinda says leaving the room with Natasha.

"How did I not know that May was married to Romanoff?" Skye asks shocked.

"May's a private person." Coulson answers, "The things that matter the most to her are the things that she talks about the least." Coulson explains, "Natasha's top of the list, you should feel privileged that she has shared what she has shared." Coulson explains, "Go back to your rooms, get some sleep. Starting tomorrow we'll go on the offensive." Coulson says and the others, with the exception of Skye leave the room, "What is it Skye?" Coulson asks curious.

"You know I thought for sure that there was something going on between you and May, especially considering the last few weeks." Skye comments.

"May's my family, she has been for a long time." Coulson tells Skye.

"Ah right, night AC." Skye says before leaving deciding not to push Coulson anymore tonight.

* * *

After they leave Coulson's room Melinda and Natasha get their own room and go there only going back to the car to grab out something for them to sleep in because neither of them feel like sleeping in jeans and leather, not again anyway. Once they have stopped by the car they head to their room and after checking to make sure the room is secure they start to get changed.

"Is this my top?" Natasha asks curious as she notices just what the top Melinda gave her has on it, "It is." She realises, "When did you take this?"

"I don't know." Melinda responds though she knows that she may have purposely hung onto after they separated.

"Of course you don't." Natasha answers as both she and Melinda remove their clothes to put on the clothes that they are going to sleep in. Just as she puts the top on Natasha notices that Melinda, who she is watching getting change, has scar that she has never seen on the top of her chest, "How did you get that?" Natasha asks, walking over to Melinda and running her hand over the scar, worried about what caused is as ever since the last time Natasha saw Melinda without her clothes on she has been in Admin which means she hasn't been in situations dangerous enough for Melinda to get scars at least until recently.

"It was a few months ago, Italy." Melinda answers, "A member of the Italian police force who was working for Cybertek stabbed me. I pulled out the knife and used it to escape." Melinda explains, "I'm betting I'm not the only one with new scars." Melinda says to Natasha.

"No, you're not." Natasha confirms moving her hand from on May's chest to around her waist and using them to pull Melinda closer,

"You know we really should get some sleep." Melinda comments as she starts to run her hands up and down Natasha's side and going up under her top.

"Since when have we ever done what we're supposed to?" Natasha asks.

"Not very often." Melinda responds and the pair kiss once more though unlike the other times they have kissed in the past few days this one is more hurried, clearly leading to something more.

"Are you sure?" Natasha asks as they break apart, both trying to catch their breath, Natasha wanting Melinda to be sure so that she won't regret it as even without saying it they both know that this will mean something to them both, it won't be a onetime thing, not after everything that has happened between them, everything that has happened to them both.

"Positive." Melinda responds pushing Natasha back on the bed, glad to be with her wife again.

"Good." Natasha responds pulling Melinda down on top of her and kissing her once more.

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thank you so much for your support of this story. It is incredible.

* * *

Even though they both wake up before five the following morning neither Melinda nor Natasha move, they just keep laying in each other's arms, cuddling. Something that no one would believe they both like doing, though only with each other.

"How long do you think we've got until Phil's knocks on the door?" Natasha asks curious as she runs her hand through Melinda's hair.

"A while. I think he's finally learnt his lesson." Melinda comments, "It's a pity Clint hasn't."

"I'm pretty sure that he does it on purpose." Natasha comments

"Most the time so am I." Melinda responds, "But you know, I don't know about you, but at the moment the last thing I want to talk about is Clint and Coulson." Melinda informs Natasha as she pulls Natasha closer to her, something which is hard to do with how close they already are.

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Natasha says with a grin, one which Melinda returns.

* * *

Hours after Melinda and Natasha have their conversation about how they don't want to talk about Coulson and Clint anymore they make their way to Coulson's room where they find him sitting outside drinking coffee.

"I was wondering when you two would get up." Coulson comments, "I got you these but they're probably cold now." Coulson says referring to the two cups that are sitting in the cup holder.

"Thanks. Where is the rest of the team?" Melinda asks curious as she and Natasha sit down at the table.

"In Skye and Simmons's room. They are working on trying to find the bus." Coulson explains.

"And what are you doing?" Natasha asks curious.

"Realising how much everything that we've been dealing with lately is connected." Phil reveals.

"What do you mean?" Melinda asks interested.

"Look." Coulson says handing over the paper he is working on.

"It's all connected." Melinda realises reading the piece of paper and Coulson nods.

"Got a plan yet?" Natasha asks Coulson as she reads over Melinda's shoulder.

"Not yet." Coulson responds.

"I have some items that may help once you have one." Tripp's voice says and Coulson, Melinda and Natasha turn to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Melinda asks.

"I don't know if you know this or not but my grandfather was a Howling Commando." Tripp says.

"He was?" Coulson asks surprised and a tone which Natasha and Melinda recognize to be his impressed tone.

"Yeah. He's why I joined shield." Tripp reveals, "My mother, who lives not far from here, has all his old howling commando tec and gadgets and with a bit of convincing I should be able to convince her to let us borrow it all, it could help."

"It would definitely help." Melinda comments as Coulson just gets a look of complete shock on his face, "It's a good idea Phil, don't you think?" Melinda asks her best friend, trying to snap him out of his shock.

"Yeah." Phil says the shock perfectly clear in his voice, "It would help a lot. Thanks Tripp."

"I'll see you later then." Tripp says leaving Melinda, Natasha and Coulson alone.

"You look like Christmas has come early." Natasha tells Coulson, amused by his reaction.

"It's Authentic, original, Howling Commando gadgets can you blame me?" Coulson asks Natasha as Melinda rolls her eyes.

"What's Skye's trogon horse?" Melinda asks curious as she reads Coulson's notes.

"She put it on the hard drive." Coulson explains, "It will map Garrett's systems give us control but because Skye didn't have enough time to build it the only way she can active it is if she puts a flash drive into one of his computers." Coulson explains, "I talked to her a couple of hours ago and she said that she is having trouble trying to find a computer system he has used." Coulson explains.

"Cybertek and Garrett must have been working together for a while right?" Melinda asks Coulson and Natasha.

"What are you thinking?" Natasha asks curious.

"If our suspicions are right then there would be a computer in that place that has Garrett's system on it, we've just got to access it." Melinda explains.

"Pretend to want a job." Coulson says, "That will get us in." he realises.

"That would work." Natasha realises, "And I've spent enough time around Steve to know that there is definitely going to be some Howling Commando's gadgets that should help." Natasha says, "The only question is who goes in." Natasha says.

"You can't." Melinda says knowing what her wife is thinking, "After DC your face is everywhere, your identities are everywhere. There is no way you can go undercover right now." Melinda says, "Phil and I will go in."

"You hate undercover." Natasha comments, surprised that Melinda is volunteering.

"I do but, I would rather do something I hate than risk you getting hurt." Melinda says, the words out of her mouth before she can stop herself but she realises that she doesn't regret saying them, "With Cybertek's connection to Hydra it's a huge chance that you would if you go in there."

"Your identity is everywhere too you know." Natasha points out

"No it's not." Melina says, "After the hub Phil had Skye delete everything on our team she could find. Melinda May doesn't exist anymore, none of us do." Melinda explains to her wife, trying to get her to see that she is the better choice to go in even though Natasha is a hell of a lot better at undercover. "I can go in without being found out. Until the publicity of DC dies down you will be found out if you go undercover even with how good Skye is at erasing identities." Melinda tells Natasha.

"Garrett could have warned Cybertek of the possibility of you and Phil coming." Natasha points out, "But he wouldn't have thought to warn them about me." She says and Melinda and Natasha end up almost glaring at each other for several minutes before turning to Phil, for the soul reason that neither of them wants the other to be hurt.

"Coulson." They both say, turning to him to make a decision, to end their disagreement.

"I'm so not answering that." Phil tells them, "I learnt a long time ago that nothing good comes from getting in the middle of your fights." He tells them standing up, "You need to make the decision yourselves and I'll be in my room once you do." He says picking up the papers and leaving Melinda and Natasha by themselves.

"We scared Phil off, that hasn't happened in a while." Natasha says with a grin, not being able to help being amused.

"No it hasn't." Melinda admit a bit of amusement clear, "How are we going to settle this this time?" Melinda asks.

"Logically." Natasha responds, "Come on." She says and Natasha heads back to their room Melinda not far behind her.

"The five minute challenge?" Melinda asks as Natasha grabs the laptop.

"The five minute challenge." Natasha confirms as they both sit down on the bed.

"What if we both pass?" Melinda asks interested.

"Then we'll figure out another plan." Natasha responds, "I'll start." She tells Melinda and she starts to google.

"Time's up." Melinda says five minutes later.

"And you're defiantly right about me being very public now." Natasha realises, "Time to see just how good Skye is." Natasha says handing the computer over to Melinda so that she can do the same thing she just did.

"Time." Natasha says after five minutes of Melinda and Natasha attempting to find any trace of Melinda on line, "Guess it's going to be you going to Cybertek." Natasha comments.

"Guess it is." Melinda responds and after putting the computer away Melinda and Natasha make their way to Phil's room.

"Did you decide?" Phil asks when Natasha and Melinda walk into his room a couple of minutes after they left theirs.

"Mel's going in." Natasha answers, "We did the five minute test." She reveals knowing that Coulson will know exactly what that is as he was one of the agents present when the five minute test started being used.

"Huh, good idea." Coulson admits, "But now that that is decided we've still got a lot of other things to decide." He tells them and both Melinda and Natasha nod and the three old friends once more get to work.

* * *

For the rest of the day and well into the night Coulson, May and Natasha work together on things while Skye, Fitz and Simmons work on different things. Coulson hears from Tripp at about nine pm who informs them that he is staying with his mother overnight and will be back the following day, which is exactly when Coulson, Melinda and Natasha plan to put their plan into action, not that they have told the others that.

At around one am Natasha and Melinda head back to their own room to get some sleep, or that is the plan anyway.

They manage to get a few hours of sleep before Natasha is woken by cries and moans coming from Melinda and when she attempts to wake her they are replaced by screams.

"Mel, Melinda, wake up." Natasha says attempting to wake Melinda as she knows that if she doesn't get Melinda to stop screaming soon then they are going to have a serious problem. Thankfully after only few seconds of Natasha trying she is able to wake up Melinda.

Once Melinda is woken she sits up in the bed with a look on her face that Natasha recognizes all too well as the look that Melinda constantly had on her face after Bahrain.

"Are you back?" Natasha asks after about a minute of rubbing her hand on Melinda's back. At Natasha's words Melinda gives a small nod, "I need…." Melinda starts to say but instead of finishing what she was going to say Melinda throws the blankets of herself, gets out of the bed and grabbing her jacket as she passes leaves the room.

As she watches Melinda leave Natasha has flashback to all the times in the six months after Bahrain and before their separation where she watched Melinda leave after nightmares.

"No, this isn't going to happen again." Natasha says to herself because she realises that all those times she watched Melinda leave she let her go because she thought that what Melinda needed was space but she knows all too well how that will end and she won't let that happen again, so Natasha decides to follow her make sure she knows that she's not alone, that she won't let her push her away again. So just like Melinda did a minute earlier Natasha gets out of bed, grabs her own jacket and follows Melinda out of their room.

After she leaves their room Natasha doesn't have to look far to find Melinda as she finds her sitting on the other side of the pool with her feet in so Natasha walks over and sits down next to her putting her own feet in the pool.

For several minutes Melinda and Natasha sit next to each other in silence, neither saying anything because neither of them want to say the wrong thing.

"Have they gotten better?" Natasha asks interested as she knows when they separated Melinda was rarely sleeping because of memories and nightmares.

"A lot." Melinda answers.

"Good." Natasha responds, glad for that.

For a few more minutes Melinda and Natasha continue sitting in silence. As she is still trying to figure out how to say what she wants to say Melinda reaches over and grabs Natasha hand, trying to show her that she's not deliberately pushing her away again, "They're better than they were." Melinda reveals several minutes later, "I'm better than I was." Melinda admits, "But sometimes when they are particularly bad I have to be outside, or be able to see the sky, remind myself that I'm not there anymore." Melinda explains, making herself explain to Natasha as while it is impossibly hard to talk about her nightmares she wants Natasha to know, she needs Natasha to know if they are going to have a chance.

"It's like that for me sometimes." Natasha admits, "I have to remind myself that I'm not in the Red Room anymore." Natasha explains deciding to share something about her that Melinda doesn't know because Melinda shared something with her.

Not sure what to say Melinda just gives Natasha's hand a squeeze and as they are sitting together, close to one another they realise that what they are doing is more meaningful than anything they could have said because they are giving each other comfort, more importantly they are accepting that comfort that they are giving. They aren't pushing each other away which is what they would have done three years ago.

For a while Melinda and Natasha continue to sit with one another in silence. Not speaking until the door to Coulson's room opens and he walks out and unlike Melinda and Natasha he is fully dressed in his suit.

"Hey." Coulson says walking over to them.

"Sit down Coulson. The waters great." Natasha tells him and Melinda nods so Coulson sits down next to Natasha, removes his shoes and socks and puts his feet in the pool.

"You're up early." Melinda comments.

"So are you two." Coulson comments, "But I'm guessing that we're all up because of the same reason." Coulson comments and Melinda and Natasha nod, "I've been meaning to ask, how's Clint?" Coulson asks Natasha curious, knowing better than to ask more questions about why they are up so early when the basic reason has been confirmed.

"Okay." Natasha answers, "It took him a long time after New York to get over what Loki did to him, and the guilt he felt about you, but he's been doing better recently." Natasha reveals having a feeling that that is going to change when Clint finds out Coulson is alive, "He's been working out of the east for a while but I contacted him after DC and he's making his way to New York." Natasha tells Coulson.

"Good." Coulson comments, "I'm glad he's okay." Coulson says causing Melinda and Natasha to exchange a look as they both know Coulson well enough to know what he's not saying.

"So Cybertek today." Melinda comments deciding to change the subject.

"Cybertek today." Coulson confirms, "This could lead us right to Garrett and Ward." He points out.

"If things go right it will." Natasha says, "Do we have number for the amount of controlled super soldiers Garrett has?" she asks curious.

"No." Coulson answers, "So how long before I'm going to be pushed into this pool?" Coulson asks curious, knowing Melinda and Natasha well enough to know that at least one of them are thinking about it.

"You're not." Melinda tells him.

"It's no fun if you know it's coming." Natasha adds.

"Good to know." Coulson responds, "So who's going to do the coffee and breakfast run?" he asks curious.

"My votes for you." Natasha tells him.

"I second that." Melinda comments.

"I really shouldn't have asked, should of I?" Coulson asks with sigh.

"Nope." Melinda and Natasha respond as Coulson starts to put his shoes on.

"I'll be back soon." Coulson says standing up and leaving them.

"We should get dressed before anyone else gets up." Melinda comments once Coulson has left.

"That we should." Natasha comments standing up and once she is she helps Melinda up. Once they are both standing they both try to push the other into the pool resulting in them both being pulled in.

"This probably would have been a better idea if we weren't wearing leather jackets." Melinda comments.

"Probably." Natasha confirms swimming over to her, "But that's half the fun." Natasha says.

"True." Melinda says, "Race you to the ladder." Melinda says with the smallest smirks.

"You're on." Natasha says and they both start swimming to the ladder. It is very close but Natasha manages to touch the ladder before Melinda, "What's my prize?" Natasha asks curios.

"Whatever you want it to be." Melinda says as she climbs up the ladder and heads to their room Natasha not far behind her, a smirk clear on her face.

* * *

Half an hour after they got out of the pool Natasha and Melinda once more leave their room, this time fully dressed, and they head to where Coulson is arriving with breakfast.

"Any sign of Fitz, Simmons, and Skye?" Coulson asks curious.

"No." Melinda answers, "I'll go wake them." Melinda says heading to the two rooms where the rest of the team are while Coulson and Natasha sit down.

"She's doing okay." Coulson says to Natasha before she has a chance to ask anything.

"How did you know I was going to ask how she's been doing?" Natasha asks curious.

"Because I've been there to watch every step of your relationship, I know you both." Coulson comments, "I know you've been waiting until we're alone to ask." he says to her.

"How has she been going, honestly?" Natasha asks Coulson after making sure Melinda isn't coming back.

"Okay." Coulson tells her, "I do mean that. She is better than she was." Coulson reveals then he gets a little smile on his face, "A few months ago Fitz was pranked." Coulson reveals, "He blamed everyone else on the team but I know it was Melinda." Coulson explains knowing that Natasha will get the significance of Melinda pulling a prank again.

"She pulled a prank again?" Natasha asks, surprised.

"She did." Coulson confirms as they spot Melinda, Skye, Fitz and Simmons walking back over, Skye, Fitz and Simmons looking barely awake, "I got coffee and tea." Coulson reveals as they sit down.

"Good, give me caffeine." Skye requests.

"Bit tired are you there Skye?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yes. I was up working until like two hours ago." Skye explains downing the coffee quickly.

"Skye, slow down you're going to burn your mouth." Coulson tells Skye, who rolls her eyes at her boss as everyone starts to eat.

* * *

After breakfast the group spend the next few hours working on their plans in the same two groups that they were in the day before. They continue to work until Coulson, Melinda and Natasha call them into the room they are working on to share their plan with Fitz, Simmons and Skye.

Once the plan has been discussed with them all Skye and Fitz head outside to create the new identities and that's where they are with Coulson when Tripp arrives with his grandfather's gadgets, which they bring into Coulson's room to look through.

"Trip was generous enough to offer up some of his granddad's spy tech to help us out, so we should systematically take a full inventory of ev- Oh, my god. Is that a handheld hypno-beam?" Colson asks a look of pure joy on his face which causes Melinda and Natasha to share an amused look.

"One of the original betas" Tripp responds taking the gadget out of Coulson's hand.

"You realise now we are never going to get Phil to let go of this stuff?" Natasha asks Melinda in a whisper.

"Oh I know." Melinda whispers back.

"Okay, the two of you can get a room later." Skye says interrupting Coulson and Tripp's fanboying, doing what both Melinda and Natasha were seconds away from doing, "Where did they buy this stuff, from the back of a comic book?" Skye asks curious as she picks up what looks like a joy buzzer and before Tripp can stop her she has pressed it knocking power out in the room.

"It's an EMP knocks power out in a ten foot radius." Tripp explains.

"Some of this stuff is actually pretty cool." Natasha comments as she looks through it, "And most of it you would never think that it was dangerous." She comments.

"That's was the point." Fitz says, "It was meant to look innocent in case a spy was caught." Fitz explains, "Take these smokes for example." Fitz says picking up pack of cigarettes and twisting the end causing a laser to come out which he pretends to smoke.

"Thanks Tripp, this should give us a fighting against these bad guys." Coulson tells Tripp but before anyone can say anymore the smoke alarm starts to go off because Fitz has set fire to the curtains.

"Watch out Hydra, here we come." Melinda comments un amused.

"We need to be at Cybertek in three hours, we need to get ready." Coulson tells everyone.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Melinda is in the bathroom of hers and Natasha's hotel room getting changed while Natasha sits cross-legged on the bed going through the last of the information on Cybertek that they have.

"This is why I hate undercover." Melinda tells Natasha through the open door.

"It's not that bad." Natasha tells Melinda.

"Yes it is." Melinda comments, "I don't know how Simmons can wear this." Melinda says.

"I'm pretty sure she would say the same thing about some of the things we wear if the situations were reversed." Natasha informs her.

"At least what we were is practical." Melinda argues.

"Shoes?" Natasha asks simply knowing that the shoes she and Melinda tend to wear can be considered to be a lot of thing but practical isn't one of them.

"Not my point." Melinda argues sticking her head out of the bathroom.

"Then what is Mel?" Natasha asks curious as she looks up from what she is reading.

"That I hate this sweater." Melinda responds and Natasha has fight not to laugh at her wife.

"More than the Madrid dress?" Natasha asks curious, closing the files she is reading having a feeling she's not going to get them finished, trying to distract Melinda from her annoyance.

"No. That dress had some perks." Melinda responds and Natasha smiles at the memory.

"That it did." Natasha responds an before either of them can say anymore, or get to deep into their reminiscing there is a knock on the door and it opens and Skye walks in.

"Coulson asked me to come and see if you guys are ready." Skye says to Natasha.

"I am." Natasha responds standing up, "Mel?" she asks curious.

"I'm ready." Melinda says walking out of the bathroom, "Don't you say anything." She says to Natasha who has a smirk on her face.

"I wasn't going to." Natasha responds though Melinda knows that she is lying, though anyone else probably wouldn't.

"Yes, you were." Melinda tells her.

"So Tripp and I went and got these for you." Skye says handing Melinda a pair of glasses, "We thought it would add to your cover."

"Thanks." Melinda says putting on the glasses, "Not a word." She says to Natasha who is smirking a lot more than she was seconds ago.

"We should go." Skye comments, looking between Melinda and Natasha and being surprised that May seems more relaxed than she has ever seen her.

"We should." Natasha confirms, "For the record what I was going to say is relax." Natasha tells Melinda.

"No. You weren't." Melinda responds as they walk out of the room, the smirk on Natasha's face making it clear that Melinda is right.

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thank you for the support of this story. It means a lot to me.

* * *

Over two hours later Coulson and Melinda are just starting their interview at Cybertek while Tripp, Skye, Natasha, Fitz and Simmons are outside in a truck. Tripp is in the driver's seat, Skye next to him and Natasha, Simmons and Fitz are sitting in the back listening to the coms and communicating with Coulson and May.

"We've met with a number of other former S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists recently, and I must say, thus far, we're underwhelmed. Hydra, on the other hand, less constrained in their thinking. And younger."

"Usually younger." The men who are interviewing Coulson and May say.

"Told you we should have gone in." Fitz comments.

"Oh hush." Simmons comments, "May doesn't look a day over…" Simmons begins to say but she gets a worried look from Fitz and an eyebrow raise from Natasha, "Thirty." Simmons says, "You're gorgeous." Simmons comments.

"No arguments here." Natasha mutters to herself.

"Guys keep them talking a few minutes longer." Skye's voice requests and Fitz and Simmons begin to talk in unison about their inventions and as they do Natasha is reminded of when Tony and Bruce talk about science.

For the next few minutes the outside group listen to Melinda and Coulson finishing their interview. Taking down a guard, and breaking into the fourth floor.

"Skye, Tripp, Natasha get ready for a large file transfer." Coulson says a few minutes after Coulson and Melinda broke into the fourth floor.

"How large?" Skye asks as Natasha climbs to the front of the truck and over the seats.

"Seriously Phil?" Natasha asks as a filing cabinets drops from window, "I'll help Fitz and Simmons get this into the back, you two make sure Mel and Phil get out." Natasha says as she climbs over Tripp and leaves the truck.

Just like Natasha said Skye and Tripp help Coulson and Melinda out of the Cybertek building while Natasha, Fitz and Simmons get the filing cabinet into the back.

"Nice exit." Natasha says to Coulson and Melinda as she helps them into the back of the truck.

"It was more out of necessity than style." Coulson tells Natasha.

"And yet you two always find a way to make it one in the same." Natasha comments as she closes the roller door.

"Like you are so unstylish when you complete missions." Melinda says to her.

"Tripp drive." Coulson orders and that's exactly what Tripp does.

* * *

After making sure they aren't being followed the group head back to the hotel planning on going through all the information on Deathlok that Coulson and May found.

"How long until you think we find something useful?" Natasha asks Melinda, who is once more changing her clothes.

"Hopefully not long but even with seven of us it could take a while." Melinda comments walking out of the bathroom wearing the clothes that she is most comfortable in.

"Then we better help." Natasha comments.

"First we've got to order pizza." Melinda comments picking up the phone. Once she has order the Pizza Melinda and Natasha head back outside to go through the information with the others.

* * *

For over an hour the group work on going through the information that they found on Deathlok and they discover that Garrett was patient zero and that his reasons for wanting GH-323 are a lot more personal than they realised.

When they realise that Fitz suggests that maybe Ward is being controlled which results in an argument with Skye who disagrees, which ends with Skye heading back to her room and Fitz walking to the other side of the pool.

"They need to understand." Melinda says after neither Skye nor Fitz come out for lunch.

"You talk to Skye. I'll talk to Fitz." Natasha suggests.

"Are you sure?" Melinda asks surprised as she knows that there is a possibility that talking to Fitz will bring up painful memories for her.

"Positive." Natasha says and Melinda grabs two beers and heads into the room to talk to Skye while Natasha grabs a plate and puts some pizza on it.

"Fitz likes the pineapple pizza." Simmons tells Natasha.

"Thanks." Natasha says making sure to put pineapple pizza on the plate before heading over to Fitz. As she leaves both Tripp and Simmons turn to Coulson for answers.

"They know what they are doing." Coulson tells them not looking up from what he is doing, but he can feel the looks they are giving him.

* * *

"Here, you haven't eaten." Natasha says handing Fitz the pizza she brought him.

"Thanks." Fitz responds, accepting the pizza but not making an effort to eat it, "Are you here to tell me that I'm wrong about Ward, that Skye's right?" Fitz asks curious.

"No." Natasha answers, "I think you both have very valid points."

"You do?" Fitz asks turning to look at her.

"I do." Natasha confirms, "I don't know a lot about Ward, just what Mel and Phil have told me." Natasha tells Fitz, "But from what I know I think that Garrett would have found Ward when he was the most vulnerable and pretended to be exactly what Ward needed and Ward probably didn't realise how toxic Garrett was." Natasha explains, "I don't believe that Garrett is controlling Ward, or at least not in the way you think." Natasha tells Fitz, "But he does have control over him." Natasha admits, "Ward has probably had chances to turn away from Garrett and will in the future but he's not going to take them, not until he makes the decision to." Natasha explains, "He won't be able to change and won't turn away from Garrett until he is ready to, until he makes the choice for himself to." Natasha says now talking from personal experience, "That could take a while, or he could never change, but it has to be up to him." Natasha tells Fitz, "Ward was a victim once, but Skye's right he's the perpetrator now. He's made his choices, if you keep trying to help him and continue to let him know that you're willing to, and that you believe he can change, you might succeed, you might convince him, you've just got to keep what I've said in mind because he might not want to chance" Natasha tells Fitz, stressing every might that she said.

"I will." Fitz says glad to know that someone thinks that Ward still has a chance to be good.

"NATASHA, FITZ, WE'VE FOUND SOMETHING." Coulson yells and Natasha and Fitz walk over, when they do they see Melinda and Skye walking out of Skye's room. Once she sees her wife Natasha nods at her which Melinda returns.

"We're going to Cuba." Coulson tells everyone.

"The old SHILED base?" Natasha asks curious and Coulson nods.

"Get packing we leave in half an hour." Coulson says and everyone nods and heads to their respective rooms.

* * *

Over an hour later the group of seven are flying the jump jet to Cuba. Melinda and Natasha are in the cockpit while the others are in the main part of the plane.

"What do you think the chances are of Ward and Garrett still being there when we get there?" Melinda asks Natasha curious.

"Low, especially considering the noise we made a Cybertek." Natasha comments.

"I was thinking the same." Melinda comments, "I think I offered to teach Skye Tai-Chi."

"You think?" Natasha asks confused, "You don't know?"

"She said that she wished she knew how to do that Hate-Fu as she called it and I said I'm up most mornings at five." Melinda explains.

"Hate-Fu?" Natasha asks and Melinda nods, "Nice name." She says knowing that she is going to have to remember it, "Do you want to have offered to teach her?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yeah, I think I do." Melinda admits, "it's odd Skye's like a combination of Me, you and Maria but more innocent that any of us have been in a long time." Melinda admits, "If SHIELD was still around I would say that she has potential to be a great agent, now I just want to make sure that she keeps that innocence as long as possible but at the same time knows how to protect herself." Melinda admits, knowing that if it was anyone other than Natasha, even Coulson, sitting next to her she would have kept her thoughts to herself.

"Then go for it." Natasha says and the pair drift into silence, Natasha realising that helping Skye could be good for Melinda, and from what she knows good for Skye as well.

"I need both of your opinions on my plan." Coulson says walking into the cockpit about ten minutes later.

"Sure, what is it?" Natasha asks curious as both she and Melinda turn to look at Coulson, Melinda making sure the plane is on autopilot first though.

"We give Fitz and Simmons the maps of the places that the bus could land and after giving them orders not to engage under any circumstances, they look for the plane while we head to the old SHIELD base." Coulson explains, "What do you think?" he asks wanting both of their opinions.

"It could be risky." Melinda comments, "If Ward or Garrett find them then they won't be able to defend them, maybe we should send Tripp with them." Melinda suggests.

"I thought about that, considered it." Coulson admits, "But I kept coming back to the thought that if Garrett and his men aren't still at the base then he would have left soldiers behind just in case." He explains.

"Which would mean that we would need all the fighters with us to make sure we have the best chance of getting out and subduing Garrett if we get a chance." Natasha realises and Coulson nods.

"Whichever option we chose we're risking a lot." Coulson says.

"This whole mission is a risk." Melinda says, "A huge one." She comments.

"But it's also one we have to take." Coulson says.

"You're right about that." Natasha comments, "Garrett's too dangerous. He has to be stopped." She says.

"And right now we're the only ones who can." Melinda adds and the three drift into silence, all of them thinking about everything they have said.

"We give them tec." Melinda says breaking the silence, "Both Howling Commando and these, and we make it clear that they aren't to engage." She says, "It still not the best plan but considering we might actually go going where Hydra is it's the best one we can do at the moment." She says and Coulson nods,

"I'll go tell the rest of the team." He says leaving the cockpit.

"If this goes bad for them then it's on me." Melinda comments to Natasha.

"It's on all three of us, not just you." Natasha corrects and they once more drift into silence.

* * *

A few hours later after landing the plane Natasha and Melinda obtain the group two vehicles while Tripp, Skye, Coulson, Fitz and Simmons start prepping for their respective missions in the hanger where they are stashing the jump jet while they do what they have to. After making it perfectly clear to Fitz and Simmons that they aren't to engage Coulson, Melinda, Natasha, Tripp, and Skye leave in a VW van leaving Fitz and Simmons to take the car.

* * *

Even with Natasha being the one driving it takes the group an hour to get from the hanger to the barber shop with an old SHILED base below it.

"Looks like we're too late." Tripp says coming back to the van after checking things out, "There gone."

"They knew we were coming." Melinda comments.

"We knew that was a chance." Natasha reminds her.

"I'm not sure everything is gone." Skye says causing everyone to turn and look at her, "Something's generating a lot of vaults." She explains but before anyone can say anymore Coulson's phone rings.

Even though everyone else in the van are only hearing Coulson's side of the conversation they realise that Fitz and Simmons have found the plane and that there is very little chance of them getting to it before Garrett leaves.

"We've got to at least try to get over there." Melinda says to the others.

"I know I drive fast but I don't think that even I could get us there before they leave." Natasha comments.

"Maybe we don't have to." Skye says causing everyone to once more look at her, "We still have this little puppy." Skye says holding up her flash drive, "If there's a computer system in that barber shop, we don't have to chase him anymore. We just plug it in, we wake up the trojan horse, and we're off to the races." Skye tells the others.

"Worth a shot." Tripp comments.

"Let's do it." Coulson says agreeing as the group of five exit the van.

* * *

After they exit the van the group make their way into the barber shot and down to the base underneath. As they enter the basement Natasha enters first followed by Tripp, then Coulson, Skye and then finally May.

As they enter the basement they find it to be deserted by they have all spent enough time doing what they do to know that that doesn't mean that nothing is there.

"Skye where are the computers?" Coulson asks

"I'm working on it." Skye responds.

"Tripp anything in your grandad's kit that might help us out here?" Coulson asks curious.

"Always." Tripp responds as he pulls out a device and starts using it to look around the room.

For a couple of minutes Tripp uses the device to look around until he's gets something, "I've got something." Tripp comments, "There's something behind this wall." He says causing the others to come over to him.

"Secret door?" Coulson asks and Tripp nods, "I've got this, there like my thing." Coulson informs Tripp causing Melinda and Natasha to exchange a look as they have both heard Coulson say that exact sentence many times over the years and every time he has said it he has proven his words true, and just like all the times in the past he gets the door open to reveal a computer system.

"Finally." Skye says released but before she can go to the computer they hear noises behind them causing all five of them to turn where they find several centipedes soldiers and a man who is holding what Skye, Coulson and May recognize to be the Berserker Staff.

"Could sure use some light in here." Coulson comments.

"I got this." Tripp says and he pulls a light box out of his bag and slides it across the floor

"So who do talk to about getting a haircut?" Coulson asks before he, Melinda, Natasha and Tripp start firing while Skye runs to the computer.

After a couple of seconds Tripp gets thrown into a wall so Natasha makes her way to Tripp while continuing to fire at the centipede soldiers and Coulson covers her while Melinda heads straight for the man with the Berserker staff.

"If it isn't the Cavalry." The man holding the staff says to May.

"Don't ever call me that." Melinda says getting the staff of the man and using it to hit a solider into one of the pillars.

"Bring the house down." Coulson says to Melinda who nods, "Time to go." He says as more of the soldiers start attacking May which she are able to send flying with the staff.

Once Coulson give the order to leave he goes over to Tripp and helps Natasha get him up and out of the room, Skye right behind them. While the other four are getting out Melinda continues to fight against the soldiers

"MEL, COME ON." Natasha yells when she is on the stairs, making sure that everyone else is in front of her.

At her wife's yell Melinda throws the staff into one of the few pillars that is still standing and runs, managing to get onto the stairs and out before most of the building collapses.

Once they are out of the building the group rushes to the car. Natasha is once more driving and as she does she notices that Melinda purposely sat herself at the very back of the car, away from the others, so while she drives Natasha watches Melinda in the rear vision mirror being sure to make it so it looks like that isn't what she is doing.

* * *

Once they get back to the jump jet Coulson heads to the cockpit to try and contact Fitz and Simmons and discover whether they got tracker on the bus, Melinda starts to treat Tripp's bullet wound, Skye stares at her phone and the eyes they now have and Natasha just watches everyone else, knowing that she wants to talk to Melinda but that it's not the time to talk about what she wants to talk about.

"The trojan horse worked. It gave us access to the system we wanted. Our secret weapon we now have eyes on their operation right in the palm of my hand." Skye informs everyone.

"It's going to take as a lot more than just eyes to defeat Garrett." Tripp tells Skye and as he does Coulson walks out from the cockpit.

"What is it?" Melinda asks Coulson as he does, worry present in her voice as both she and Natasha recognize the look that Coulson has on his face and know that it means something horrible has happened.

"Fitz-Simmons' tracker crossed the ocean. It's in New Mexico." Coulson explains.

"They managed to tag the plane?" Natasha asks though she knows that there is more than Coulson is saying and she has an idea of exactly what that is.

"It appears so, but they're not answering." Coulson tells everyone and a gasp is heard from Skye's direction.

"No. We can't think about that right now. They may have been captured. Either way, they risked everything to put a tracker on that plane for us. Now we know exactly where Garrett is, and Skye you can see what he's doing. If Fitz and Simmons are still alive, then catching Garrett is our only shot at finding them." Coulson tells everyone.

"I'll get us in the air." Melinda says heading to the cockpit.

After Melinda leaves Natasha waits a few seconds before following her. Closing the door to the cockpit as she does as she knows that neither of them will want the others to overhear this conversation.

"Was that the Berserker Staff?" Natasha asks curious as she sits down in the passenger seat.

"Yes." Melinda confirms.

"How bad?" Natasha asks concerned.

"Nothing I can't handle." Melinda tells Natasha.

"Is that why you are stabbing your nails into your hand?" Natasha asks noticing what Melinda is doing.

"I can handle it." Melinda assures Natasha turning to look at her, "This just helps me to, because at the moment the last thing that I can do is dwell on what I've seen." Melinda explains.

"Okay, I'll drop it for now." Natasha responds, stressing the 'for now', after about a minute of silence, the only reason that she is being the fact that they have a mission to compete, "Question do you still have any of the super strength?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yes, I'll have it for a while." Melinda confirms.

"Huh." Natasha comments but doesn't say anymore.

* * *

It is several hours later that the group arrives near where they know the tracker and they hope, Fitz and Simmons to be.

"We'll only get one shot at this, so let's go over the plan one more time to make sure we're clear on exactly what we're doing, okay?" Coulson says as Melinda and Natasha come out from the cockpit and they start handing out weapons, "Natasha, Trip and I will crest the ridge, use a noisemaker to grab a three-wheel, maybe something with more fireworks, and open a window for you two." He says looking at Skye and Melinda. "You crawl in, grab the dealer, force his hand. He'll get us our ace in the hole, and then bob's your uncle." Coulson says to the group.

"Roger that." Skye comments.

"Makes it sound easy." Tripp says.

"Which it definitely won't be." Natasha points out.

"Coulson, it's a solid plan you've mapped out, but it hinges on a gamble a big one.." Melinda says as she hands Coulson his gun.

"It'll be just the five of us. We'll be outmanned and outgunned." Coulson says.

"Nothing new there." Natasha mutters knowing that outmanned and outgunned is something that she, Melinda and Phil at least have a lot of experience with.

"But Fury always said a man can accomplish anything when he realizes he's a part of something bigger. A team of people who share that conviction can change the world. So, what do you say? You ready to change the world?" Coulson asks the others.

"No." Melinda says causing all eyes to turn to her, "I'm ready to kick some ass." She says.

"That works, too." Coulson says with a grin as an amused snort is heard from Natasha.

"We should go." Natasha says, "We're wasting the one thing we can't afford to waist, time." She tells them.

"Both of you quoting Fury, really?" Melinda ask her wife and best friend but neither comments.

"Let's go." Coulson says and the five leave the plane, none of them knowing what's going to happen next, whether they will survive what is to come.

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

* * *

It is half an hour after they group leave the plane that they are in position. Natasha, Tripp and Coulson are hiding on a ridge above the compound trying to find what they need for what they need to do.

"All right, what do we want? There's a three-wheel over there." Coulson says to the other two.

"Here comes a Humvee that has better fireworks." Tripp comments.

"Um Guys, you've got to see this." Natasha says, with a grin, handing the binoculars to Coulson.

"That's what I'm talking about." Tripp comments when he uses his binoculars to look at what Natasha has seen.

"Did you bring a noisemaker?" Coulson asks Tripp curious.

"Sir I bring the noise and funk wherever I go." Tripp says to Coulson.

"When this is all over remind me that there is someone I want to introduce you to." Natasha says to Tripp having a feeling that he will get along well with Sam, and more than likely Clint as well.

"Let's go." Coulson says and the trio make their way down the ridge.

"Now Tripp." Natasha says and Tripp throws the noise maker down to distract the personal near the vehicle they want so that they can catch them off guard and get into the vehicle.

Once they have dealt with the personal near the vehicle Natasha, Tripp and Coulson drive through the compound, Tripp using the weapons that the vehicle has to knock down people

"Seriously Coulson, who taught you to drive?" Natasha asks trying to hold on to something to keep herself steady because she is in the back and not in a seat and Coulson's driving is causing her to go all over the place.

"You ask me that almost every mission." Coulson says to Natasha

"That's because you give me reason to." Natasha responds.

"You know where to put this next one." Coulson says to Tripp, ignoring Natasha.

Tripp nods and he uses the vehicles missiles to make a hole in the wall so that Melinda and Skye can get in.

"Nice work guys. The window is open" Melinda's voice say through the walky-talky while Coulson continues to drive through the compound, making as much noise as possible.

Coulson drives the vehicle for several minutes following making the entrance for Melinda and Skye until a centipede solider jumps on top of the vehicle causing Coulson to slam on the breaks.

"Coulson there are more on our six." Natasha informs him as she looks out of the back window.

"Here they come." Tripp says and Coulson, Natasha and Coulson just sit and watch, waiting for Skye and Melinda to do their part.

"These windows can't take many more hits Sir." Tripp comments.

"They won't have to." Natasha says knowing that Melinda will pull through.

"Coulson we've found the dealer." Skye's voice says through the walkie-talkie a few seconds later.

For another minute Coulson, Natasha and Tripp watch as the soldiers continue to hit the windows almost getting through,

"Time for the guns?" Tripp asks.

"Time for the guns." Natasha and Coulson confirms and Tripp pulls out a big gun while Coulson pulls out his pistol and Natasha pulls out two.

They are just about to start firing when the soldiers completely stop.

"Stay." Coulson says as he realises what they are doing, hopefully getting default directive, "Good boy." Coulson comments.

"They're off to defend Garrett." Tripp realise as Coulson gets out of the vehicle and Natasha climbs over the seats.

"And lead us right to him." Coulson says as Natasha climbs out of the car right beside him, "Now that we're inside, go contact armed forces and make some noise on the way out. Tripp, if the rest of us don't make it, I still want this place to burn." Coulson says to him.

"I would prefer that you make it out Sir." Tripp tells them.

"So would we." Natasha says, "If you have trouble getting armed forces to listen to you contact Hill, she'll know what to do." Natasha tells Tripp, who respond with a nod and she and Coulson start to follow the super soldiers right to Garrett.

* * *

"How we going to do this?" Natasha asks Coulson curious as they enter the building where Garrett is.

"I'll use a noise maker to distract him and them punch him in the face." Coulson says, "Provide me with cover in case he doesn't go down with one punch." Coulson requests.

"Do you really think he will?" Natasha asks curious.

"No idea." Coulson says as he throws the noisemaker.

From her position behind large contains Natasha watches as Coulson attempts to punch Garrett and finds himself being thrown through the air and lands near her instead. As soon as Coulson is thrown soldiers come out of everywhere to and they start firing so Natasha starts firing back.

Soldiers aren't the only ones who come out of nowhere. When Natasha turns to check if Coulson's okay, while she continues to fire, to her surprise she finds him having a conversation with Fury.

"Guys, so not the time." Natasha tells them when she hears what they are talking about.

"She's right." Fury comments, "This packs a pretty big punch." Fury says holding up a weapon that Coulson recognizes.

"I know what it does." Coulson says taking the weapon of Fury and using it to knock down all the other soldiers.

Once Coulson does that Natasha and Fury come out from behind their cover and continually fire on Garrett but it seems to do nothing.

"Fury, Romanoff." Garrett says, surprised to see them, "Well, hell when was the last time anyone saw a tag-team wrestling match with four dead guys." Garrett ask.

"Does that mean I'm meant to just sit back and watch with popcorn?" Natasha asks curious, "Because that actually sounds like a good idea." Natasha jokes.

"I see only one dead guy." Fury says before anyone can have a chance to say anything in response to what Natasha said.

"Oh, the power's all on this side of the room, fellas." Garrett says, "And Lady." He adds looking at Natasha.

"I think you have to re-evaluate that." Natasha says shooting one of the soldiers who only got a minor hit with Phil's gun.

"Of course, I don't blame you, Nick. Or you Tash. Neither of you have seen the big picture, the big bang, the timeless frozen ocean, but Phil here has. We share a bond. We're blood brothers now." Garrett says and in response he just gets a 'you're insane' look from Natasha, Coulson and Fury.

"You didn't tell me he had gone this crazy." Fury comments.

"He's really stepped it up a notch." Coulson comments.

"That's an understatement." Natasha informs them.

"You remember that speech you used to give us, Nick, about how one man can accomplish anything once he realizes he can be something bigger? Well, now I am." Garrett says to Coulson, Natasha and Fury.

"A part "a part" of something bigger." Fury corrects

"Is that how it went?" Garrett asks.

"Not a great listener." Coulson comments.

"You're just figuring that out now?" Natasha asks Coulson, "I've known for years that he sucks at listening." She tells him.

"If you tell me this whole Hydra path thing you took is because you misheard my damn "one man" speech." Fury says before getting interrupted by Garrett starting to talk nonsense, "You two got it right?" he asks Coulson and Natasha.

"Totally. Loud and clear" Coulson responds.

"Of course." Natasha adds.

"Fury was teaching us something you didn't want to hear, John, 'cause you only think about yourself. That's the difference between your side and our side and why we're always gonna win." Coulson informs Garrett.

"What lesson, Phil? Please, enlighten me." Garrett says to Coulson but before anyone has a chance to say anything Deathlok fires at Garrett.

"You can't do this, Mike. I order you to stand down! You must obey me! You need me to translate the words of creation. You don't want to do this, Mike." Garrett tells Mike, "Tell him Phil." He says as he attempts to reach a gun.

"Mr Peterson's free to do whatever he wants." Coulson says.

"Just like he should be." Natasha adds as Mike steps on Garrett's head.

"Think he learnt his lesson?" Fury asks curious.

"He learnt something." Coulson says.

"Nick, if you're still planning on pulling your dead guy act you might not want to be here when armed forces gets here." Natasha says to Fury.

"Which is exactly why I won't be." Fury says, "I'll dock in air once you're done here. I'll leave the coordinates on your plane." Fury tells Coulson.

"Yes Sir." Coulson responds and Fury disappears.

"Once we clear the Bus you should wait there until we leave." Coulson says to Natasha once Fury has left.

"What? Why?" Natasha asks confused.

"After DC you're on thin ice with everyone. Being a part of another battle so close likely won't end well for you." He says and he gets an look from Natasha which clearly says that she doesn't like what he is saying, "You don't have to like it, but you are going to listen, It's to protect you." Coulson tells Natasha.

"Fine." Natasha says, clearly not likely the idea.

* * *

It is several hours later when the team arrive back at the Bus where Natasha is waiting in the cargo bay for them. As soon as she sees them she watches Melinda walk and realise that she is doing her best to make it look like she isn't hurt though she clearly is.

"Lab." Natasha says as soon as she is close enough to Melinda being thankful that she took the time to explore the plane while she was waiting for the others to get back.

"I need to get us in the air first." Melinda says to her wife.

"No I need to look at your injuries first." Natasha says, knowing Melinda well enough to know that she will put it off until she absolutely has to, "Tripp can get us in the air, can't you Tripp" Natasha says looking at Tripp and giving him a look.

"Yes Ma'am." Tripp answers recognizing the look that Natasha has on her face as one that he has seen on his grandmothers and cousin's faces more than a once. One that says do whatever it is that I am telling you to do or else.

"Lab." Natasha repeats and Melinda heads to the lab purposely ignoring the Coulson who has an amused look on his face as Natasha is the only person who has a chance of getting Melinda to do something she doesn't want to do.

"It's not that bad." Melinda says to Natasha as they enter the lab.

"I'll be the judge of that." Natasha says grabbing the basic supplies she thinks she is going to need.

With some difficulty, not that she would admit that to Natasha at the moment, Melinda sits herself on the table and removes her jacket and shirt as she knows that that will be the first thing Natasha asks her to do.

"Not bad, huh?" Natasha asks when she turns to look at Melinda and sees the bruising starting to come up.

"I've had worse." Melinda comments, "We both have." She points out.

"Not even close to the point." Natasha responds then she notices the mark around Melinda's neck, "Did he try to strangle you?" she asks attempting to keep the anger out of her voice as while she doesn't care about a lot of people she hates when one of the few people she cares about is hurt, especially when that person is Melinda.

"He didn't succeed." Melinda responds simply, trying to reassure Natasha "You knew that this fight was going to be bed." She points out.

"I know." Natasha responds as she starts putting a paste that helps with bruising on Melinda's face.

"Now for the not fun part." Natasha says several minutes later, "I've go to check your ribs." She tells Melinda, both of them not looking forward to it because it will hurt Melinda to do and hurt Natasha because she'll be hurting Melinda.

"I know." Melinda tells her, "At least two are broken, maybe more." She tells Natasha knowing that from all the kicking in the torso that Ward did to her that it would be very surprising if she only has two broken ribs.

For several minutes Melinda sits up completely straight while Natasha feels along different parts of her torso. Melinda winching as Natasha touches sore spots.

"I think you've got three broken ribs, maybe a couple more fractures." Natasha explains with a frown, "How's your breathing?" she asks concerned as she notices that it is slightly heavier than usual.

"Slightly difficult, which is expected." Melinda says.

"Not too bad?" Natasha asks, wanting to be sure.

"Not too bad." Melinda responds and with a nod Natasha starts to wrap Melinda's ribs.

"So Coulson said…." Skye says walking into the lab as Natasha starts to wrap Melinda's ribs but when she sees the sight before her she stops, "Holy crap, is all this from the fight with Ward?" Skye asks worried clear as she walks over to Natasha and Melinda.

"What did Coulson say?" Melinda asks ignoring Skye's question.

"That Fury will be docking in ten minutes so he wants both of you in his office ASAP." Skye explains, "Will you be okay?" Skye asks, concern clear in his voice.

"I'll be fine." Melinda assures Skye with a sigh.

"Good." Skye responds before leaving the lab.

"And done." Natasha says about a minute after Skye leaves, "You're going to have to take it easy for the next few days." Natasha says and Melinda rolls her eyes at her wife, though she is actually glad that the interaction was so much like how it once would have been because it means that things between them are on the right path.

"Come on." Melinda says putting on her shirt and leaving the lab, Natasha right behind her.

* * *

"You know us going to your bunk together won't lead to anything equalling taking it easy." Natasha tells Melinda once she realise where they are going.

"All I was going to do is get changed, but if you've got something else in mind please share." Melinda tells her wife.

"I will tell you exactly what I am thinking." Natasha says with a smirk as they enter Melinda's bunk and close the door, "Just not right now." She says.

"I'll remember that." Melinda says as she starts looking though the bag that she brought onto the Bus when they were packing up things early.

"I know you will." Natasha responds as Melinda pulls out her normal SHIELD uniform and hands something to Natasha which causes Natasha to raise a questing eyebrow at when she sees it.

"I needed it for a mission." Melinda says in response to the unasked question.

"Really?" Natasha asks.

"Really." Melinda responds as she changes into her SHIELD uniform Natasha changes into the cat suit.

* * *

A few minutes later Natasha and Melinda head up to Coulson's office. They arrive just as Fury docks.

"Nick." Natasha greats when she sees him.

"Natasha, Melinda." Fury responds and the three of them head into Coulson's office, Natasha and Melinda following Fury.

When they enter the office Fury walks over and sits in one of the armchairs while Natasha and Melinda stand.

"Say what you want to say Phil." Fury tells him.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, and cruel, and very stupid!" Coulson says to Fury causing Melinda and Natasha to exchange an amused look.

"I think you've made your point." Fury tells Coulson sticking up his hand to tell him to stop talking.

"Why bring me back in the first place? Clearly, I didn't think it was the best idea. I warned you about people losing their minds." Coulson says to Fury.

"Agent May was on top of the situation." Fury says and Melinda gives Coulson an 'I told you so' look, "She says you're fine. Aren't you?" Fury asks and Coulson nods,

"It was a break glass in case of emergency situation." Fury tells Coulson.

"Yes, but that emergency was meant to be a full of an avenger." Coulson tells Fury.

"Exactly." Fury tells Coulson.

"Damn I wish I had a camera." Natasha says to Melinda when she sees the look Coulson has on his face

"The security cameras are easy to get into." Melina says back to Natasha.

"Now, you know how few people I trust, Coulson."

"You can count them on one hand." Coulson says.

"And I'm not afraid to cut off fingers." Fury says, though he knows that the three people standing in the room with him are three of the people he trusts, "The principle S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded upon was pure."

"Protection." Melinda and Natasha say together.

"Protection one word. Sometimes, to protect one man against himself other times, to protect the planet against an alien invasion from another universe. It's a broad job description." Fury says.

"No kidding." Natasha says at the same time Coulson says, "No need to tell me."

"But the belief that drives us all is the same, whether it's one man or all mankind…" Fury begins to say but he gets cut off by Coulson

"That they're worth saving." Coulson says

"That truth lives inside you, Coulson. Before it was torn apart, S.H.I.E.L.D. was a lot of moving parts but guys like you were the heart." Fury says standing up, as he does Melinda and Natasha exchange a look wondering where he is going with what he is saying, "Now you'll be the head." Fury tells Coulson handing him what looks like a small cube,

"What is it?" Coulson asks.

"A toolbox to help you build it back up." Fury reveals to the surprise of everyone in the room.

Out of everyone Natasha is the most hesitant about what Fury is implying until she realises that if there is anyone who will build SHIELD to be something that Steve would approve of then it would be Coulson.

"You want me to start over, rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D." Coulson says.

"From scratch. Take your time and do it right." Fury tells Coulson.

"You'll still have his back." Fury says to Melinda.

"Of course." Melinda says without hesitation.

"And I take it you're going to be sticking around." Fury says to Natasha, assuming that for her to be there now, for her to be present at Cybertek then things between her and Melinda are getting better, something that he is thankful for because Natasha and Melinda are two of the very very few people that he cares about.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be." Natasha responds and Fury nods.

"There's no one else I trust with this." Fury says, it being clear that he's not just talking about Coulson but Melinda and Natasha too. That Coulson is the one he trust to be the head while Melinda and Natasha are the ones he trusts to be Coulson's side, to watch his back, to help.

"Thank you, sir." Coulson says shocked, "How should I proceed?" Coulson asks.

"That's up to you Director." Fury responds.

"And you, sir where are you heading now?" Melinda asks curious.

"Well, I'm trading in my bird's-eye view for two solid feet on the ground." Nick reveals.

"Good choice." Natasha comments approvingly.

"This is the last time you'll be seeing me for a stretch." He says looking at Coulson, Melinda and Natasha individually for several seconds.

"You're gonna disappear, nowhere to be found." Coulson realise.

"Nowhere? You know me better than that, Phil. I'll be everywhere." Fury says lowering his sunglasses before leaving the room.

For several minutes Coulson, Melinda and Natasha stand in surprise, comprehending just what Fury has requested.

"Let's see what is first." Coulson says opening what Fury called 'the toolbox.' As the three of them crowed around Coulson's desk which is where Coulson has sat the toolbox.

"Coordinates." Melinda realise.

"Guess that's where we should go." Phil realises

"I'll go set them." Melinda says leaving Natasha and Coulson the only ones in the room.

"You doing alright there, Director?" Natasha asks with a smile.

"I don't think I will ever get used to being called that." Coulson comments.

"I'm guessing you're going to have to." Natasha responds.

"Are you okay with this?" Coulson asks curious, "I mean you were one of the people who tore it down." Coulson comments.

"True." Natasha admits, "But we tore it down because of what it had become. I've known you long enough to know that you won't let it become like that again, that you will do it right, make it right. The world needs a form of a SHIELD, especially these days, and Fury's right about you being the perfect person to make that SHIELD" Natasha admits, "I have faith in you Phil." Natasha tells him to his compete shock.

"Thank you." Coulson responds.

"Any time." Natasha says before leaving the office, planning on going to see Melinda in the cockpit.

* * *

A few hours later the team and Natasha who everyone now accepts to be another member of the team land at another secret base known as the Playground, where they find Simmons and Billy Koenig. When Simmons says that Fitz is alive instead of okay Natasha and Melinda exchange a look as they know that alive and okay are two very different things and for Simmons to say that Fitz is alive then things aren't good.

For the hours that follow the team arriving at the Playground they work on getting settled, transferring Ward from the interrogation room on the plane to a secure holding cell, checking on Fitz and beginning to form a plan of what they will do next

It has been a few hours since everyone decided to head to bed and Melinda and Natasha are laying together in bed in the room they claimed as theirs.

"You're meant to be resting." Natasha tells Melinda as Melinda starts to kiss along Natasha's neck.

"There is a lot of things that I am meant to do that I don't." Melinda responds but before Natasha can respond her phone starts to ring.

"It's Clint." Natasha comments checking the caller ID.

"Of course it is." Melinda says with a sigh, "Considering you were meant to meet him in New York you better answer." Melinda tells her knowing that if Natasha doesn't answer then Clint will keep ringing.

"Hello." Natasha answers cursing, for the hundredth time at least, Clint's timing.

"So I just go to Stark's and not only is there no sign of you but he had no idea that either of us where coming." Clint says to Natasha, "Where are you?" he asks.

"With my wife." Natasha responds simply as she does Melinda takes the phone out of Natasha's hands and puts it on speaker because she wants to hear Clint's response.

"You wife?" Clint asks confused for a second, "Melinda? You're with Melinda?" Clint asks actually comprehending what Natasha said.

"Yes, and you're interrupting." Melinda informs Clint.

"Oh hey Mels." Clint says and even though they can't see him both Natasha and Melinda can practically see the grin Clint has on his face.

"Don't call me Mels" Melinda responds and before any of them can say anything Melinda and Natasha's door flies open revealing Skye who looks terrified.

"Something's happened. You have to come, you have to help him." Skye tells Natasha and Melinda, sounding completely terrified.

"Clint, we're going to have to call you back." Natasha says throwing down the phone. As she does Melinda and Natasha throw off the blankets that they are under and, putting on the first clothes they find they get changed and follow Skye out, both of them worried about what could have Skye so scared.

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for your support of this story.

* * *

"Tasha? Mels?" Clint says into the phone, "What's going on, are you okay?" He asks but all he hears is the hang up tone, "Damn it." He says worried.

"Did you just say that Natasha is married?" Tony asks as along with Pepper and Bruce he listened to Clint's phone call as they are all standing together in the main lounge area of Avengers Tower.

"Yes." Clint answers.

"How do I not know this?" Tony ask surprised.

"Because she's been separated for three years." Clint explains.

"Separated, not divorced?" Pepper asks curious.

"Not divorced." Clint confirms, understanding Pepper's curiosity because he, along with everyone else who knows about Melinda and Natasha's relationship, have wondered why they never officially got divorced but they never asked.

"What happened between them?" Bruce asks curious.

"And who is this Melinda?" Tony asks.

Realising that he is not going to get away with not answering questions Clint sighs and decides to tell them a bit about Melinda and Natasha and their relationship, "Melinda is Melinda May, she is a SHIELD legend." Clint explains, "Or was." He corrects, "Along with Coulson she trained under Fury and along with Fury and Coulson made up Strike Team Beta for a time around twentyish years ago." Clint explains.

"Strike Team Beta, I've seen that name come up in the files that was released online." Tony comments, "There were never any names of the members though." He comments.

"There's a reason for that." Clint answers, "To most of SHIELD the members of Strike Team Beta was a secret." He explains.

"Wow impressive." Tony comments.

"What happened between Melinda and Natasha?" Pepper asks curious as she wonders why Natasha never mentioned being married.

"After I brought her into SHIELD Fury had Natasha work with Melinda a few times, I should say at this point, before I brought in Natasha, Coulson, Mels and I were worked together a lot and most of the time Hill was with us." He explains, "There relationship developed into more than a working one, more than just the friends' with benefits that it started as." Clint explains regretting his choice of words as soon as he says them, and becoming pretty sure that both Natasha and Melinda would cause him a lot of pain if they knew he just told Tony Stark that, "They got married six years ago. Very few people knew, but like there always was there were SHIELD rumours." Clint explains, "They were good together, happy." He explains.

"What changed?" Bruce asks curious, assuming that something did.

"A mission. Three and a half years ago." Clint answers deciding to go into as much detail as possible for the next part so that they don't ask Natasha or worse Melinda if they see them, "There was a person who reportedly had special gifts so a SHIELD team went in to investigate. Both Mels and Phil were on that team." Clint explains, trying to ignore how much it hurts to mention Coulson, and how much more it hurts the more time that he does, "It went bad." He says simply.

"How bad?" Tony asks becoming interested in the story.

"As bad as a mission can go." Clint answers, "This gifted individual had followers or worshipers, we were never quite sure which, and took some of the team hostage." Clint explains, "The remaining team were un armed and outnumbered, and SHIELD backup was a day away." Clint reveals, "But Mels took it upon herself to get them out, to save them." Clint says, "She went it alone, and no one, not even Natasha knows exactly what she did, or what was done to her, but she got everyone out, crossed of the enemy force, and saved lives." Clint explains and everyone is shocked into silence.

"How did that cause her separation from Romanoff?" Tony asks interested, not quite seeing the connection.

"The Mels who went into that building wasn't the same one who walked out." Clint explains, "Tasha, Phil, Hill, hell even Fury in his own way, and I tried to help but she just kept pushing us away. Tasha the most." He explains, "I don't know what happened inside that building all I know is that whatever happened destroyed one of my closes friends." Clint tells them, "Mels was already a legend in SHIELD at this point but that mission made her infamous" Clint explains, "The six months that followed were hard on everyone who cared about Mels, Tasha the most." He says, "Like I said the Mels that we knew was gone. After Bahrain it was like she was a shell of the person she once was, she was completely different." Clint says, "I'll spare you the details of just what happened in the six months that followed, of just what we watched happen to May." Clint says, partly because it's not his place to share and partly because he doesn't want to think about it, "Then one day, six months after. Nat arrived back from, well her mission undercover with you actually, and found that Mels was gone. She had packed her stuff and left a note saying that she was transferring to a desk job in admin." Clint reveals.

"So that means that Bahrain must have happened around when I announced that I was Iron Man." Tony realises and as he does he realise that Natasha dealt with him, and his semi breakdown, when she was loosening her wife and never once let it showed.

"Bahrain was a week after that press conference." Clint answers, "They still remained friends or as close as they could be." Clint reveals, "But it was never more." He reveals, as even with how private Melinda and Natasha are he knows that for a fact, "Nat tried to help Mels after Phil's death because Mels was his best friend but once more she pushed her away. That's all you need to know." Clint explains.

"But they're together now." Pepper says.

"So they said." Clint says, "My best guess is that after DC either Mels found Nat or Nat found Mels and they decided to give things another shot." Clint explains, personally hoping that Melinda was the one to reach out as he has always thought that if Melinda and Natasha were ever going to have a shot at making things right between them, giving them another shot, then Melinda would have had to be the one who made the first move.

"And for some reason they just hung up on you." Tony says.

"Yeah, that's the worrying part." Clint admits, "I heard a voice I didn't recognize saying that something had happened and that they had to come and then all there was is silence." He explains, "It's worrying." He says, saying what all of them are thinking.

* * *

As Melinda and Natasha follow Skye they both keep getting ideas of the worse possible situations running through their heads.

"Skye what exactly happened?" Natasha asks.

"I couldn't sleep so I decided to check the protection on the security cameras and I saw him." Skye reveals, "I raced down here and tried to get him to stop but it was like he couldn't hear me, like he is in a trance." Skye explains, "I'm sorry for interrupting you but I didn't know who else to go to." Skye explains

"It's okay Skye, but who are you talking about?" Melinda asks though she has a pretty good idea who, she just hopes she is wrong.

"Just look." Skye says rounding a corner to reveal Coulson holding a knife using it on the wall which is covered in carving that none of them recognizes.

"Skye, stay back with Nat." Melinda says as she slowly start so approach Coulson.

At her wife's words Natasha unconsciously moves herself so that she is standing in front of Skye, in the perfect position to protect her if she needs to.

"Coulson." Melinda says standing next to him but being sure not to touch him as she doesn't know how he will react, "Phil?" She asks and Coulson doesn't respond, like he didn't hear here. As she continues to make sure that she doesn't touch him Melinda waves a hand in front of Coulson's face to see if he has a response to it, which to her worry he doesn't.

Realising that she has only one choice left, and making sure that she always has one eye on the knife Melinda stands between Coulson and the wall and reaches over to put a hand on Coulson's shoulder.

The second she does several things happen very quickly Coulson attacks Melinda, Natasha races across the room to help and gets to them just as Coulson manages to cut Melinda with the knife. It's the small reaction that Melinda gives as she is cut while she subdues him that seems to snap Coulson out of what he is doing while Natasha disarms him.

"Melinda? Natasha?" Coulson asks confused then all a sudden he grabs his head in pain, causing Melinda, who is still restraining him, to let him go, "It hurts, it hurts so much, I see it all, it hurts. I have to get it out. It hurts." Coulson repeats over and over.

"Phil, talk to me. What hurts?" Melinda asks as Coulson crumbles to the ground

"Everything." Coulson responds through cries, "Make it stop, please, make it stop." He requests.

"Get Simmons." Melinda says to Skye who is just looking at what is going on in shock.

"SKYE, GO." Natasha orders when Skye hasn't moved after a few seconds.

"I need to get it out, it hurts, make it stop, please make it stop." Coulson requests again.

"Skye's getting Simmons." Melinda says to Coulson, "She'll figure this out. We'll fix this Phil."

"Sedate me until then, please." Coulson begs, "Please. I can't take it. Please." He begs.

"We will Phil." Natasha says exchanging a look with Melinda, "We promise." She says and for several minutes Melinda and Natasha just kneel near Coulson while he lays on the ground in pain, begging them to make the pain stop, both of them feeling completely useless, and hating that feeling.

"What happened?" Simmons asks as she, Skye and Tripp come into the room, Simmons holding her medical bag.

"We need the strongest sedative you have." Melinda says to Simmons as Natasha moves slightly giving Simmons's room to get to Coulson.

"What is going on?" Tripp asks Natasha as Simmons sedates Coulson.

"That's a long story." Natasha answers as Melinda stands up.

"We need to get him to Medical." Melinda says as Billy walks in the room.

"What is going on here?" Billy asks walking in the room.

"I'll explain in the conference room in five minutes." Melinda says to the group, "Nat, will you help me get him to Medical." Melinda asks and Natasha nods, and together they take Coulson to the medical area, Simmons and Skye with them the entire time while Tripp and Billy head straight to the conference room.

* * *

It takes a few minutes for Simmons to connect Coulson up to different equipment to monitor Coulson. While that is occurring Skye doesn't take her eyes Coulson, petrified about what is going to happen to the man who is the closest thing to a father she's known, and Natasha helps Melinda stop the bleeding on the cut on her arm as it is deeper than either of them thought.

"He'll be out for a while, six hours at least." Simmons reveals and Melinda nods working though a plan in her mind.

"Do you know what caused this?" Skye asks Melinda.

"I do." Melinda answers, "Come on." She tells the team and they all head to the conference room.

* * *

"Why is Agent Coulson unconscious?" Billy asks Melinda as soon as she walks in the conference room, "And what was that on the wall?"

"On the wall were the results of hypergraphia, which is a side effect of the procedures and drugs that were done to bring Coulson back to life." Melinda reveals and Skye gasps, "The reason I left Providence was to get Coulson answers about Project TAHITI, and along with Agent Romanoff we found information regarding what was done to Coulson and the potential side effects." Melinda explains.

"What were the other side effects?" Skye asks worried.

"Hypergraphia, aphasia, catatonia, and complete psychosis." Natasha answers.

"Oh god." Skye says terrified as she knows that it is a possibility for her to while Tripp and Simmons just look shocked, "Can you help him?" Skye asks Simmons, "Find something to stop what is happening?"

"I may be able to find something if I had access to the right equipment." Simmons says to Skye knowing that it isn't a guaranty but a chance, "But I don't' have what I need here, or on the bus." She answers as the lab facilities are rather basic not advance enough for what she would need to help Coulson.

"What would you need?" Melinda asks Simmons.

"Advance lab facilities and resources and preferably other scientists help." She explains.

"None of which we have." Tripp comments, "We have no other scientists or access to facilities that we need." He comments.

"I know a place where were can get both." Natasha says causing all eyes to turn on her.

"What are you thinking?" Melinda asks her wife, wondering if she is thinking what she thinks she is thinking.

"We go to Stark Tower, or Avengers Tower as he's now calling it." Natasha suggests, "Is a safe place, I know that for a fact because I tested the security myself." Natasha reveals, "Plus Stark and Banner will be there, which means they will more than likely be willing to help Simmons help not just Phil but Fitz as well." Natasha explains.

"Simmons can Fitz be moved?" Melinda asks.

"Yes." Simmons answers, "And if they are willing I would have the best chance at helping Fitz and Coulson with Dr Banner and Mr Starks help." Simmons says.

"How long do you need to get them ready to be moved?" Melinda asks.

"About an hour." Simmons says and Melinda nods.

"Hold it." Billy says before anyone else can say anything, "You are not going anywhere. You were brought here to rebuild SHIELD."

"There will be no SHIELD without Coulson." Melinda says looking directly at Billy.

"Exactly. He is the one in change it will be his decision as to what happens next." Billy says.

"Coulson can't make any decisions at the moment." Natasha says, "He's unconscious if you didn't notice." Natasha tells him.

"He'll make the decisions when he wakes." Billy says simply.

"Coulson's not just asleep, he's sedated." Melinda tells Billy, "A sedation which he begged us to administer due to the pain he is currently in." Melinda explains, "Which means as the highest ranking agent left it is my call what we do and I say we're going to New York." Melinda says as she won't let Coulson die again and New York is the best place to help him. At her wife's words and the way she said them Natasha has to fight a smile as she likes seeing this side of Melinda, a side which Melinda doesn't reveal often, one she shown even less since Bahrain.

"It's too dangerous." Billy argues, "Especially with Hydra out there and Director Coulson down."

"Agent Romanoff vouched for the safety of Avengers tower, that's good enough for me, and if he was awake it would be good enough for Coulson." Melinda tells Billy, and at that Natasha actually does smile, "I am taking my team to New York so that both Agent Fitz and Director Coulson have their best shot, and you're not going to stop me." Melinda tells Billy which results in a glaring match between the pair.

" _Oh just give up now."_  Natasha thinks to herself knowing that there is no chance that Billy is going to win though she has to give him points for trying.

"Fine. Go." Billy says caving after twenty seconds at the most of being glared at.

"Simmons focus on getting Fitz ready." Melinda says turning back towards the team who are watching on with looks of shocks, and amazement and in Natasha's case a smirk that Melinda knows to mean a lot of different things, "Tripp help her in any way you can." Melinda says and the pair nod and leave the room, Tripp saying, "Yes Ma'am." As he goes.

"Skye go sit with Coulson." Melinda says, "Do not leave his side, or take your eyes off him. If anything changes come and get or send Tripp to come and get me or Nat." Melinda request.

Skye nods but unlike Simmons and Tripp she doesn't leave.

"Skye?" Melinda asks.

"Will they be able to help him?" Skye asks, concern clear, looking up at Melinda instead of staring at the floor like she has been.

"Stark and Banner are the best." Natasha answers walking over and standing next to Melinda, looking directly at Skye saying what she is saying to reassure them both and even herself to a degree, "And from what I've seen Simmons is just as good. If anyone can figure out a way to help Coulson, and Fitz then it will be them three." Natasha assures Skye as she doesn't doubt that they will agree to help.

"Will the same thing happen to me?" Skye says looking at Melinda.

"I don't know." Melinda answers honestly.

"I was really hoping that you would know." Skye tells Melinda as, though she wouldn't admit it, May not knowing makes it more serious, as she has come to see May as someone who knows everything.

"I don't know everything Skye." Melinda tells the young woman.

"She's right, I'm the one who does." Natasha jokes and Melinda rolls her eyes.

At Natasha's joke Skye manages a small smile on her face which is exactly what Natasha was aiming for and without another word to either woman Skye leaves the room.

"So what are we doing that you don't want them to know about?" Natasha asks curious, knowing that Melinda must have a reason for giving everyone a very specific task.

"Transfer Ward from the holding cell to the interrogation room on the Bus." Melinda explains simply.

"You're taking him with you?" Billy asks shocked, "I understand the rest of the team but why Ward?" he asks.

"Because if we leave him here it will only be a matter of time before he escapes, and hurts someone by doing it." Melinda tells Billy, wanting to prevent what's happened to Eric from happening to Billy, "Do you think Stark will have somewhere secure that we could hold him?" Melinda asks Natasha interested.

"Definitely." Natasha responds, "Let's go get Ward." She says and Melinda nods and the two of them leave the room.

"Where you going? The cells are this way." Natasha says a few minutes later when Melinda starts to go the opposite way to the cells.

"I'm going to go get an ICER." Melinda explains.

"What? Do you seriously think he could take us both down if he got free?" Natasha asks surprised stressing the if.

"Of course not." Melinda answers, "But it will make it easier to move him." She points out.

"Right, good point." Natasha responds, "I'll met you at the cells." She says and Natasha heads down to the cells while Melinda goes to collect an ICER.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Melinda and Natasha have managed to transfer Ward to the interrogation room on the plane without incident.

"That room managed to hold an Asgardian and kept out a ghost, it should hold him." Melinda says to Natasha as she double and triple checks the shielding on the interrogation room.

"How long will the ICER last?" Natasha asks curious.

"An hour or so." Melinda responds, "I'm going to go take pictures of what Phil was carving, it could provide a clue."

"Good idea." Natasha says, "I'll stay here, stand guard." Natasha tells Melinda, as they had the conversation when they were moving Ward that they will have at least one person 'standing guard' from outside the room at all times, "Plus I'll call Clint get him to arrange with Stark the help we're going to need." Natasha explains.

"Are you going to tell him about Phil?" Melinda asks interested.

"No, he doesn't deserve to hear that over the phone." Natasha tells Melinda, "Once we land I'll pull him aside and tell him." She says and Melinda nods.

"After I get the pictures I'll get an ETA from Simmons." Melinda says before leaving the plane.

Being glad that Melinda grabbed her phone when she went and got an ICER Natasha pulls it out of her pocket and calls Clint.

"Finally. What happened?" Clint's worried voice asks after only a couple of rings.

"That's a long story." Natasha tells him, "I need a favour, actually I need a few." She admits.

"What are they?" Clint asks

"First can you ask Stark to contact Hill and tell her that TAHITI has gone wrong, she'll know what that means." She tells Clint.

"She will?" Clint asks confused as that makes absolutely no sense.

"She will." Natasha confirms, "Second Mel and I along with her team are going to be leaving for New York soon…" Natasha begins to say but Clint cuts her off.

"Mels has a team?" Clint asks surprised.

"Yes, it's another long story." Natasha tells him, "When we land we need medical transport for two and secure transport for a prisoner." Natasha says.

"Were are you going to transfer them to?" Clint asks curious.

"That's the next part, can you put Stark on the phone?" Natasha requests.

"Sure, by the way I filled him, Pepper, and Banner in on the basics of you and Mels." Clint explains before handing over the phone.

"Agent Romanoff, you miss me?" Tony asks, using what has become his traditional greeting when he speaks to Natasha for the first time in a while.

"Really Stark, every time?" Natasha asks.

"Yep." Tony responds, "Why am I only finding out now that you are married?" He asks curious.

"Because unlike you I like to keep my private life private." Natasha tells him.

"That's boring." Tony responds, "I assume you want something." He tells her.

"Yes." Natasha answers, "Myself, along with my wife and six other people are going to be coming to New York. Two of them require medical treatment, but it's not safe for them to be in hospital. Plus one of them is a prisoner who is too big of a security threat to be kept in jail, the rest of us need somewhere to stay, and the scientist with us needs access to lab and assistance to help the two people who require medical treatment, any chance you can help us out?" Natasha asks, deciding to tell Tony everything up front so that he knows.

"Of course." Tony answers without hesitation, "How long until you land?" he asks.

"Around five or six hours." Natasha tells him, "We're flying in in a SHIELD mobile command Unit so it might be difficult for us to get permission to land." Natasha admits, "Hill has all the specks on the plane so if you could help us get permission I would appreciate that too." Natasha tells him.

"Consider it done." Tony responds.

"Thanks Stark. I owe you one." Natasha says before hanging up. Once she hangs up the phone Natasha puts it back into her pocket and leans against the wall opposite the interrogation room, not looking away from the door.

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thank you for the support you have given me for this story.

* * *

Twenty minutes after Natasha hung up the phone Melinda and Tripp walk over to her coming up from the lower level.

"What did Stark say?" Melinda asks Natasha.

"That he's completely willing to help." Natasha answers, "How's Phil?"

"The same." Melinda answers, "Simmons monitoring both him and Fitz carefully." She explains.

"Good." Natasha responds.

"I've also informed Skye and Simmons that when we land you and I will leave the plane first and that they are to remain on bored until we give the all clear." Melinda says to Natasha, "That way we can check to make sure the area is secure and warn Clint and the others about exactly who is on bored." Melinda says to Natasha.

"Good call." Natasha responds.

"What do you need me to do?" Tripp asks curious as he fully understands and accepts that while Coulson is out of commission he takes orders from May and Romanoff.

"Ward's in the interrogation room." Melinda reveals, "He is currently unconscious due to an ICER but it will wear off soon." Melinda explains.

"Mel and I agree that even with how secure this room is we want someone outside this room at all times standing guard." Natasha explains.

"And you want me to take a shift." Tripp realises and Melinda and Natasha nod, "Of course I will." He says

"I'll go get us in the air." Melinda says planning on keeping the plane on manual instead of autopilot for the trip as she could use the calm that flying gives her.

"I'll take first shift." Natasha says to Tripp, "Go be with Skye and Simmons, come back up in a couple of hours." Natasha says to Tripp.

"Yes Ma'am." Tripp responds and he walks away leaving Natasha standing alone outside the interrogation room.

* * *

The bus has been in the air for a couple of hour when Tripp returns upstairs to take over for Natasha with Ward watching duty. Once Tripp has taken over for her Natasha heads to the cockpit to check on Melinda.

"You look exhausted." Natasha notices as she sits down in the co-pilots seat.

"It's a side effect of using the Berserker Staff." Melinda reveals, "I'm crashing so to speak." She explains.

"We've got a couple of hours until we get to New York why don't you try and get some rack time." Natasha suggests.

"I can't." Melinda response simply.

"Yes, you can." Natasha tells her, "Between Tripp and I were can keep an eye on the team, keep us in the air, and guard Ward."

"That's not why I can't." Melinda response.

"Oh." Natasha says, realising that she should have realised her other reasons, "You know you always have the best views." Natasha says changing the subject because she knows that if Melinda wants to talk about the other reasons then she will, but judging by her body language she doesn't, and Natasha knows there is no point pushing her because it won't end well for either of them.

"Why do you think I became a pilot?" Melinda responds.

"To save Nick and Phil's asses when you were a strike team." Natasha jokes.

"Pilot came first." Melinda tells Natasha, "Strike Team came later."

"Really?" Natasha asks surprised, and she is surprised that she is surprised by that considering how long they have known each other.

"Mom arranged flying lessons for me when I was a teenager." Melinda response.

"Of course she did." Natasha response amused as that is exactly the kind of thing Lian May would do, "Your Mom and I had coffee together a few months ago." Natasha reveals.

"She always did like you better." Melinda tells Natasha, "Did she say anything interesting?" Melinda asks curious.

"She asked if I had heard from you. She said she hasn't heard from you in a while." Natasha reveals, "You should call her you know, after everything that happened she is likely worried."

"I know, I will." Melinda responds.

"When?" Natasha asks curious.

"When I have the time to listen to the long lecture she'll give." Melinda tells her wife.

"Well you know, there is no time like the present." Natasha says pulling out her phone and putting it on the console, "Call her. I'll go check on Skye and Simmons." Natasha says standing up.

"Nat." Melinda says as Natasha.

"Yeah?" Natasha asks turning back to face her.

"Later, alright. Not right now, later, I promise." Melinda says both of them knowing exactly what she is talking about and it's not calling her mother.

"Okay." Natasha responds with a nod, "Call your Mom, and tell her I said hi." Natasha says as she leaves the cockpit.

For several minutes Melinda just stars at the phone until, after putting the plane on autopilot and reaching over and grabbing the phone, calling her mother.

* * *

After leaving the cockpit Natasha heads downstairs to the lab where she finds Skye and Simmons diligently watching Coulson and Fitz. As she watches Skye and Simmons from outside the lab Natasha can't get what Melinda said about Berserker staff side effects out of her head, and while she would like to know more she knows that Melinda isn't the right person to ask at the moment so instead she runs through what she already knows to help her realise who would be the right person to ask. Because she knows that the last time Melinda held the Berserker staff was a few months ago she knows that that means that Tripp wouldn't have been around which leaves Skye and Simmons.

With them being her choices Natasha walks into the lab, "How are they doing?" Natasha ask Simmons.

"As good as they can be." Simmons answers.

"Good." Natasha says with a nod, "By any chance do either of you remember how long the side effects of using the Berserker staff lasted last time Mel used it?" She asks curious.

"No." Simmons says as she and Skye exchange a look, "But I do remember that May had a very different reaction to Ward." Simmons answers, anger clear in her words when she says 'Ward's' name.

"What do you mean?" Natasha asks interested.

"When we first found it the staff was in three parts." Skye explains, "And Ward heled one piece and he passed out and had some insane rage issues and was barely able to fight with two pieces of it." She informs Natasha, "But May on the other hand heled all three pieces, fought with them, and she was in complete control, didn't lose it once." She tells Natasha, "Is May alright?" Skye asks, concern present in her voice.

"I'm not sure about that." Natasha admits, "Thank you, both of you." Natasha tells the pair, as even though they didn't tell her much they may have given her an idea of how to help Melinda, "Let me know if you remember anything else that can help." She says to them, "I'm going to go check in with Tripp and I'll be back soon." Natasha tells the pair and she leaves the lab.

"Natasha." Skye says chasing after her.

"Yes?" Natasha asks curious.

"For so long I was so wrong about May, I thought she was a statue that she didn't feel anything, that she didn't care." Skye admits and Natasha is just about to completely disagree with that but before she can Skye continues talking, "I know I'm wrong, Coulson tried to tell me but I didn't listen." Skye admits, "But nothing has proven me more wrong than seeing her with you the last few days, and I'm glad for that." Skye tells Natasha, "I'm glad you're here, not just for May but for the rest of us too."

"Thank you Skye." Natasha tells her, feeling touched by Skye's words, starting to see what Melinda was saying earlier.

"You're welcome." Skye says and she heads back to the lab while Natasha heads up to check in with Tripp.

* * *

Over two hours after Natasha went down to the lab to have a conversation with Skye and Simmons the plane has touched down in New York, and both Natasha and Tripp are standing guard outside the Interrogation room which is where Melinda finds them when she leaves the cockpit.

"We owe my mother a meal together." Melinda tells Natasha as she walks towards her.

"When?" Natasha asks.

"When she demands it." Melinda responds.

"Okay." Natasha responds with a shrug, like there is nothing unusual about what Melinda just said, "We shouldn't keep them waiting." Natasha comments.

"No we shouldn't." Melinda agrees before turning to look at Tripp, "Do not move from outside this door." She says to him, "And do not let anyone in that room, no matter who they are, unless me or Agent Romanoff are with them." She says to Tripp.

"Yes Ma'am." Tripp response and Natasha and Melina head downstairs to the lab to talk to Simmons and Skye before leaving the plane.

"Skye." Melinda says walking into the lab, "I want you to take this just in case and don't let anyone into this lab unless they are with Nat or me." Melinda says puling an ICER out of the back of her pants and handing it to Skye.

"I thought you were just expecting the other Avengers and Hill." Simmons comments confused.

"We are." Natasha confirms, "But just because we aren't expecting someone else doesn't mean they won't be there." Natasha response and she and Melinda turn and leave the lab without another word to Skye or Simmons.

* * *

After leaving the lab Natasha and Melinda lower the cargo bay and exit the plane where once they find Hill, Clint, Tony, Pepper and Bruce waiting off to the side.

"What happened to you?" Clint asks Melinda as even with the paste that Natasha put on Melinda's face and neck the bruising is coming out in full force.

"Hydra." Melinda responds simply.

"Mel, I would like to introduce to Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, and Bruce Banner." Natasha says, "Stark, Pepper, Bruce I would like to introduce you to my wife Melinda May." Natasha introduces.

"Nice to meet you." Pepper says to Melinda.

"You two." Melinda responds.

"How bad is it?" Hill asks, not needing to say anymore for Natasha and Melinda to completely understand what she is asking.

"Hypergraphia in a trance like state and when we broke the trance he was in pain so bad that he begged us to be sedated." Melinda tells Hill.

"And a violent outburst when we attempted to get him to stop writing." Natasha adds.

"Did he hurt anyone?" Maria asks worried.

"No." Melinda says the same time that Natasha says, "Yes."

"Nothing serious." Melinda explains.

"Who are you talking about?" Clint asks confused, "What's going on?" he asks and Natasha and Melinda exchange a look.

"I need to talk to you in private." Natasha says to Clint.

"Okay." Clint says confused and Natasha leads him away from the others.

"Coulson's alive." Melinda says, once Clint and Natasha are no longer in hearing range, not bothering to beat around the bus or pausing to give them a chance to say anything, "He did die when Loki stabbed him, he was dead for days but Fury used experimental produces and drugs, that Coulson himself told Fury to never use, to change that." Melinda explains, "As of a few hours ago he is starting to experience side effects so bad that he begged Nat and I to sedate him." Melinda tells them.

"Phil's alive?" Pepper asks and Melinda nods, "And you knew." She says looking at Hill, anger clear.

"The very few people who knew were ordered by Fury not to tell anyone because up until recently not even Coulson knew the complete story of what happened to him because we were worried about the side effects that would occur if he knew the truth. The side of affects it seems he is now experiencing." Maria explains.

"You still should have told us, he's our friend, we deserved to know." Tony says angrily, "How much information do you have on what was done to him?" Tony asks looking between Melinda and Hill, going into scientist mode because now he knows that his friend is alive he won't let him die again, he'll be angry later, when there is time to be.

"Complete reports, plus our team scientists was doing research into one of the drugs used." Melinda explains.

"You said you needed medical transport for two. What happened to the other person?" Bruce asks.

"And who's your prisoner?" Hill asks, though she has a pretty good idea.

"Ward is the prisoner, Tripp is guarding him." Melinda says to Maria, "The other person who needs medical treatment is our engineer who along with our biochemists were thrown out a plane in a medical pod into the ocean by, well Ward." Melinda explains, "They were able to figure out a way out but they was only a way for one of them to get a breath of oxygen and Fitz made sure it was Simmons who did." Melinda explains, "They were rescued in the middle of the ocean." Melinda tells them, purposely leaving out who rescued them as she doesn't know how much they know, "Physically Simmons is fine but Fitz is in a bad way." Melinda explains.

"Can we see him?" Pepper asks, wanting to see for herself that Phil is alive.

"Yeah, follow me." Melinda says.

* * *

"Tash what's going on?" Clint asks as Natasha leads him away from the rest of the group, "You're worrying me." He admits.

"What I've got to tell you won't be easy for you to hear so I'm just going to tell you." Natasha tells her partner, "Phil's alive." She reveals.

"What? How?" Clint asks compete shock and pain as well as an undertone of relief clear in his voice.

"Fury used experimental procedures as well as drugs made with alien biology, that Phil said should never be used, to bring him back days after New York." Natasha explains as Clint leans face first into the car that they are standing near.

"How long have you known?" He asks in a muffled angry voice.

"A couple of days." Natasha answers, "Ever since I picked Mel up from Canada."

"Why did he tell me? Why didn't she?" Clint asks, "Why didn't anyone?" He asks looking up at Natasha.

"I don't know why Phil didn't." Natasha admits, "As for Mel she was under orders not to. She came out of retirement to keep an eye on Phil knowing that there was a chance that she would have to put him down if it came to it." Natasha explains, "And I think she didn't want us to have to see that happen if it came down to it." She admits, not knowing for sure but that is what she has gathered from things Melinda has said, "Look me and Mel both know how you feel about Phil, but no one else does, hell not even Phil does, which means Mel knew how much it would have hurt you watch as it goes wrong, how much it is going to." Natasha points out, though she knows that Maria also knows though Clint doesn't know that, "A few hours ago, before we found out Phil was having side effects we were going to convince Phil that he needed to call you." Natasha reveals, "We just never got the chance." She admits.

"How was he?" Clint asks looking at Natasha, "Before?"

"Good, a bit different but that's to be expected." Natasha reveals, "He asked how you were doing." She admits.

"He did?" Clint asks.

"Of course he did." Natasha says rolling her eyes at her partner, "You matter to him Clint, so of course he's going to ask if you're okay." She tells him.

"I didn't matter enough for him to tell me that he is alive." Clint responds.

"From what I know he got the orders to keep us in the dark directly from Fury, when have you ever known him to disobeyed orders from Nick?" Natasha asks.

"Good point." Clint admits and for several minutes they stand in silence.

"Do you want to see him?" Natasha asks.

"Sure." Clint says, "You owe me a story by the way." He tells Natasha. "Actually several of them." He adds.

"I know." Natasha responds and the pair head into the plane.

* * *

"Skye, Simmons meet Clint Barton." Melinda introduces as she sees Natasha and Clint walk into the plane.

"Nice to meet you both." Clint responds as he walks over to where Coulson is lying while Melinda walks over to Natasha.

"How did he take it?" Melinda asks Natasha in a quiet voice.

"As well as I expected him to." Natasha responds, "If we figure out a way to help Phil I'm setting them up once he's okay." Natasha tells her wife.

"I don't think we'll have to." Melinda admits.

"What not?" Natasha asks curious, "We've been watching them dance around each other, and suitable giving them hints, for years, and I'm officially sick of it, but somehow I don't think that they will actually admit that they want to be with each other without a little push." She says.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Melinda comments.

"What do you know?" Natasha asks turning to look at Melinda.

"I'll tell you later." Melinda tells Natasha as Maria walks away from Tony, Bruce and Simmons who are talking science and over to them.

"What are they thinking?" Natasha asks Maria.

"That they won't know anything for sure until they get them both back to the tower." Maria answers.

"That's what we figured." Natasha responds.

"I'm going to go check on Tripp, come get me when we're going to leave." Melinda says to Natasha who nods in response as Melinda leaves the lab.

"She does look as bad as I think she does right? I'm not imagining it." Maria says to Natasha.

"Yeah, she does." Natasha responds.

"What happened?" Maria asks.

"Fighting with an Asgardian weapon and a pretty brutal fight with Ward, plus what's going on with Phil." Natasha answers.

"Who fought with an Asgardian weapon?" Tony asks interested walking over to Natasha and Maria.

"Mel. What's up?" Natasha asks interested.

"We need to get them to Avengers Tower as soon as possible." Tony tells her, "There is very little we can do here." He tells Natasha.

"Okay." Natasha responds.

"Plus is there any chance that you have footage of the trance like state he was in?" Tony asks.

"Skye?" Natasha asks, knowing that Skye is listening in to what they are say.

"Yeah we do." Skye answers, "I copied it before we left." Skye answers.

"Good." Tony responds.

"Medical transport and Prisoner transport is five minutes out." Pepper informs everyone.

"What did you arrange for Ward?" Natasha asks looking between Tony, Pepper and Maria.

"Secure room, one entrance, windows completely enforced and bullet proof, every piece of furniture is bolted down so he can't use it to hurt himself or anyone else who may enter the room." Tony informs Natasha.

"Sounds good." She responds, not even going to question why he has a room like that, "Skye I need the ICER." Natasha says because she isn't quite sure if she or Melinda grabbed more than one.

"Here." Skye says handing the gun over.

"Are you going to shot him?" Pepper asks surprised.

"It's a very strong sedative." Natasha answers, "It will make him easier and less of a danger to move." Natasha explains, "I'll send Tripp down to help and Mel and I will handle Ward." Natasha says to Maria who nods, and Natasha heads upstairs.

"Who was Ward before it was discovered that he was Hydra?" Pepper asks Maria curious in a quiet voice.

"A member of this team." Maria answers, "Someone who Melinda, Coulson, Skye, Fitz and Simmons spent months with." Maria explains simply before walking over to Clint.

"I'm sorry." She says to Clint, simply putting a comforting hand on his shoulder as Clint is currently standing about a meter back from Coulson staring at him. Unlike Melinda and Natasha she doesn't know for a fact what Clint's feelings for Coulson are but she has spent enough time around him to know there is defiantly something deeper than friendship between them.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** As I have learnt thanks to Agents of SHIELD season one Declasified that May's mothers name is Lian, I have gone back and changed what I called her in earlier chapters.

 **AN2:** Thanks for the support you give me also TRIGGER WARNING FOR MENTIONS OF TORTURE

* * *

Two hours after Maria apologised to Clint everyone who was on the bus is now at Avengers Tower. Ward has been settled into his new 'room' and Fitz and Coulson have been settled in the dedicated medical area. Coulson having been given more sedation as Simmons, Tony and Bruce don't want to bring him out of sedation until they either have an idea of what to do or until they need Coulson to be awake for some reason.

Tony and Pepper have just finished giving everyone who has never been there before a tour of Avengers tower and they are all in one of the common areas.

"I want you three to do something." Melinda says looking at Tripp, Skye and Simmons, "This isn't an order, just a requests. I want you three to try and get a couple of hours of sleep." She tells them, "After the last few days you need it and you're more likely to be able to help Coulson and Fitz if you have gotten some rest." Melinda says looking at Simmons as she says the last bit. At Melinda's words Natasha notices that Skye and Simmons look very nervous and she thinks she knows why.

"I'll make it clear to Jarvis that you three can have full access to our quarters just in case you need anything, but Mel's right you need some sleep" Natasha says to Skye, Simmons and Tripp as while she and Melinda will be in her quarters in the Avengers floor the three of them along with Maria will be staying in the guest rooms on the floor below.

"They're right we could use some rest." Tripp says to Skye and Simmons.

"We'll try. We're not making any promises though." Skye says to May.

"That's all I ask." Melinda responds, and picking up the stuff that each of them brought from the plane they head downstairs.

"Are you two going to listen to your own requests?" Maria asks, "Because you look even more tired than them." She tells her friends.

"Haven't decided yet." Melinda admits.

"How about a nightcap." Tony suggests, "I would love to get to know the woman who got Natasha Romanoff too agree to marriage better." He comments.

"If you make it a double a drinks sounds good." Melinda tells him, "But I didn't get Nat to agree to anything, it was her idea," She reveals to Tony, Pepper and Bruce's absolute shock and Natasha, Melinda's, Clint and Maria's amusement.

"Nice reaction." Clint says amused, "Though I don't think anything could beat Fury for best reaction." He comments, "You still have the photos you took from the security cameras don't you." He says to Maria.

"Of course." Maria says as the group walk over to the bar and lounge area, "I would never give them up." She says.

"Oh story time please." Tony requests as the group sits down on the couches and he heads to the bar. Melinda, Natasha and Clint are on one couch and Maria, Pepper, and Bruce with room left for Tony are on a second.

At Tony's words Melinda and Natasha share a look, neither sure if they should tell the story, their story.

"Just tell him, he won't stop bugging you until he knows." Clint tells his friends.

"Sadly that is true." Pepper admits.

"Scotch okay for everyone?" Tony asks and they all nod so he grabs a bottle and seven glasses and walks over to them, "And come on, I'm waiting for a story." He tells them and once more Melinda and Natasha exchange a look, agreeing to tell him the story.

"We had just gotten back from a mission from, was it Georgia?" Natasha asks Melinda as she takes a drink.

"No, Germany." Melinda corrects, swallowing her own drink.

"No you're both wrong it was Greece." Clint tells them.

"No, no, no." Maria says and all eyes turn on here, "It was Greenland." She tells them, "Greece was the mission right before, Germany was the one after and you hadn't been in Georgia for a while at this point." Maria tells them.

"How do you remember that when they don't?" Bruce asks Maria curious.

"Because it was my job to." She tells him.

"Anyway, where we had just had a mission doesn't matter." Natasha says, "The point is that Fury forced us, along with Phil and Clint, who also went on the mission, to take five days' vacation." Natasha comments.

"Why were you forced to take vacation?" Pepper asks interested.

"Because it had been about three years since any of them took any time of that wasn't doctor ordered and even then they never took the proper time off." Maria explains.

"Like you're any better." Melinda says and Maria just shrugs knowing that Melinda is right.

"Anyway." Natasha says, "Mel and I were in our apartment and Mel said…" Natasha begin to say but Melinda cuts her off,

"That I wanted to stay how we were forever." Melinda explains.

"And I said that that's called Marriage."

"And I asked why we couldn't do that." Melinda says looking directly at Natasha.

"And neither of us could think of a reason." Natasha adds smiling.

"So the next day we kidnapped Coulson and Clint, because we knew that we were going to need witnesses, and drove to Boston, waited the waiting period and got married." Melinda explains.

"You kidnapped them." Pepper says surprised looking at Melinda and Natasha at the same time that Tony says, "They kidnapped you." Looking at Clint sounding just as surprised.

"Yep." Clint answers with a shrug, "It wasn't the first time and it defiantly wasn't the last." He explains sounding like it's no big deal because honestly it's not.

"So does being friends with you mean that I should expect kidnapping because I would like to be prepared." Tony says and both Melinda and Natasha roll their eyes

"Anyway, the morning that we were due back at SHIELD Nick wanted to see the four of us in his office, and Maria was there and when he said, 'As I didn't have to bail any of you out of jail I assume you did nothing that I need to know about', Nat said that 'depends on your definition of need to know. Mel and I got married." Melinda explains,

"I swear he almost fell of his chair in surprised." Clint says trying not to laugh at the memory.

"I have never seen him look so surprised." Maria adds.

"Seriously?" Tony asks, not being able to picture it.

"Seriously." Maria, Natasha, Melinda and Clint say together, "It was great." Natasha adds.

"I can't picture Fury shocked." Bruce comments, "Not really."

"Doesn't happen often." Maria says.

"Once upon a time it did." Melinda comments remembering a lot of times from her early days of shield were Fury being surprised happened slightly more often.

"Oh more stories, please share." Tony requests sounding a lot like a child.

"That's not fair." Clint say, like Tony sounding like a child, "I've been trying to get you and Phil to tell Strike Team Beta stories for years and you never do." He objects, "If you tell Tony one after him asking once then that's just not fair." He says.

"There's a reasons why I don't tell those stories, which is why I am not going to tell them now." Melinda tells Clint.

"I bet I could find them." Tony comments, "Everything on SHIELD has been released online I should be able to find some stories from those days." He comments.

"You can try, but you won't succeed." Melinda tells him, "All the best stories from those days only three people know." She says.

"Okay, that's just not fair." Tony comments pouting to the amusement of everyone else.

"I've been saying that for years but she won't budge." Natasha comments as while she certainly knows more Strike Team Beta stories than anyone other than the three members there are still a lot that she doesn't know because Melinda won't share.

"It's quite annoying." Maria says as along with Clint and Natasha she wants Strike Team Beta stories, has for years, and finds it annoying that Coulson, May and Fury won't share.

"If you say so." Melinda responds trying to fight her own exhaustion as she feels the aftermath of using the Berserker staff getting stronger.

"Come on Mels, just one story, please." Clint requests.

"Nope." Melinda says failing to keep a yawn in, "I think I'm going to head to bed, I'll see you in the morning." Melinda says to Maria, Tony, Pepper, Clint and Bruce.

"I think I'll join you." Natasha comments and the pair stand up, "Clint if you even think about doing what you usually do neither of us will be responsible for our actions." Natasha tells her best friend.

"I second that." Melinda says and the pair head to their rooms.

"What do you usually do?" Tony asks interested.

"Don't." Pepper and Bruce say together, before Clint has a chance to say anything, "You don't need any more ideas." Pepper tells him.

* * *

Ten minutes later Melinda and Natasha are lying in bed, in each other's arms. Even though she is exhausted Melinda doesn't want to close her eyes because she doesn't want to see what she knows she will because of the Staff.

"Mel, what is it?" Natasha asks concerned as she can feel how tense Melinda is.

"I can't relax because I know what I'll see if I do." Melinda admits, her voice barely loud enough for Natasha to hear.

"Have you ever tried talking about what happened?" Natasha asks curious, "I mean I get that you can't talk to me, Phil, Clint, Nick, or Maria about it." Natasha says leaving off the 'even though I wish you could' "And that you refused SHIELD mandated counselling, but have you ever considered talking about it?"

"Once." Melinda admits, realising that she owes Natasha a story, but more than that she wants to tell her, "It was last year. I knew Phil would be coming to me soon to ask me to join his team so I went to a veterans meeting at the VA." Melinda reveals, "I sat and listened to their stories but I didn't say anything." She explains, "When I was leaving the guy running the meeting came up to me and introduced himself. He said that you don't have to talk, but that it can stop you from destroying yourself and the things you care about." Melinda explains, "I told him that I had already destroyed everything I care about and he said that maybe sharing will help fix it, and that's when I realised that if I was ever going to be ready to share what happened back then then it wouldn't be room of strangers it would be with you." Melinda reveals, "I don't think I would have realised that if it wasn't for Sam."

"Sam? Not Sam Wilson?" Natasha asks curious and surprised.

"Yeah, why?" Melinda asks confused.

"He helped Steve and I destroy the Helicarriers." Natasha reveals, "Small world." Natasha comments.

"Ours defiantly is." Melinda comments.

"When you're ready to share Mel, I'll be here." Natasha tells her wife, "But if that time isn't now then what can I do to help right now?" she asks curious.

"I don't know." Melinda admits, "I see what happened every day, I've learnt to live with it, but when I use that damn Staff it's like it's happening again, it's so vivid." Melinda admits, and as she is holding Melinda Natasha can feel the shiver that she gives "I see it, I feel it, I even smell it and when I'm asleep I can't control it in the way I can when I am awake." Melinda tells Natasha, who is cursing Asgardian technology, as even though it has taken her three years when she is awake she can, to an extent, control how what happened in Bahrain affects her when she is awake, but asleep after using the Berserker Staff is a whole other story.

"Close your eyes." Natasha suggests getting an idea.

"Why?" Melinda ask confused.

"Just Trust me Mel, I have an idea." Natasha responds and Melinda does like she suggested.

"You're at the Triskeillon. You and Clint have just been kicked out of Directory Fury's office for throwing paper balls at each other." Natasha says with a grin.

"You mean you and Coulson got us kicked out of Fury's office by starting the whole thing." Melinda corrects though she doesn't open her eyes.

"Same thing." Natasha says with a shrug.

"No, it's actually not." Melinda responds.

"Anyway, do you remember what happened next?" Natasha asks trying to get Melinda to remember a happy memory so that she can relax a bit and maybe get some sleep.

"We started to plan a way to get back at you and Phil." Melinda responds, "But instead of getting you and Phil, Nick who left the office first got a bucket of three day old cafeteria casserole dropped on him." She comments.

"And you both went running." Natasha says with a smirk.

"Can you blame us, he was furious." Melinda comments, "Though in retrospect it probably wasn't out smartest idea." She comments.

"You think?" Natasha asks.

"But in our defences we were crunched for time." Melinda admits.

"That's not really an excuse." Natasha comments, "You've pulled of better pranks by yourself in shorter amount of time." Natasha comments

"Like?" Melinda asks wondering if Natasha is thinking what she thinks she is thinking.

"Half the pranks you pulled on Hill in her first year." Natasha responds, "Coulson, Clint and Maria have filled me in on the stories, some of them were pretty genius."

"She was an easy mark back then." Melinda comments.

"She's not anymore." Natasha comments knowing that these days Maria Hill is the hardest persons to pull pranks on, even harder than Fury, "What do you think is the best prank you managed to pull on her?" Natasha asks curious and Melinda starts to tell her story.

After Melinda finishes the story of what she thinks was her best prank Natasha asked her to tell another and it is during that second story that Melinda falls asleep, just like Natasha was hoping would happen. Once Melinda has fallen asleep Natasha just watches her, planning on not sleeping herself as she wants to be awake when Melinda has nightmares of Bahrain so that she can help.

* * *

It is a is about an hour before Melinda starts to move in her sleep, because it doesn't seem like Melinda is in any pain Natasha doesn't attempt to wake her but instead she just holds her close.

It is about an hour later that Melinda starts to moan followed by screams and when Natasha attempts to wake her Melinda yells, "STOP. I'M SORRY." And bolts up right.

"Agent Romanoff, Mr Stark, Agent Barton, Miss Potts and Agent Hill are inquiring whether you need assistance." Jarvis says as Natasha tries to calm Melinda.

"No, I don't require assistance, tell them to go back to bed." Natasha responds, knowing that she is going to owe them explanation in the morning but that right now that doesn't matter, only Melinda does.

"I'm sorry Nat." Melinda says, "I knew I shouldn't have tried to sleep." She admits.

"You needed sleep." Natasha tells her, "Don't apologies for that." She reveals.

"I don't know what else to say." Melinda admits as she gets up and walks across the room to the windows which she looks out of the city at.

"You don't have to say anything." Natasha says to Melinda walking over to her, "Just let me help you, please Mel." Natasha requests, knowing that she has made the request many times before and had she spots the tear rolling down Melinda's cheek.

"Please Mel." Natasha says, reaching out and whipping the tear away, her voice completely sincere and un undertone of begging and desperation that Melinda's only heard In Natasha's voice one other time, right after Bahrain.

"It was a cult." Melinda says turning around and sliding down the windows so that she is sitting on the floor her legs against her chest, "A cult that worshiped a ten year old girl." Melinda says and Natasha sits down right next to her, not saying anything because she realises that now that Melinda has made the decision to tell her, to let her in, then she shouldn't interrupted "She was the one with powers." Melinda says, "Her father had built the cult around her and it was all she had ever known she thought that she was entitled to it. She was innocent." Melinda says her voice breaking at the end, causing Natasha to reach out and grab her hand, "All of the cult members had been trained to fight to defend the girl at all costs, I learnt that as soon as I breeched the first room." Melinda reveals, "I took the lives of eighteen people before I reached the room where our people, the girl and her father were." Melinda explains, "I dealt with the final five guards and I thought the room was clear." Melinda reveals, cursing hers stupidity, "I cut all our people free and once they were free she stunned me." Melinda reveals, "How long did Phil tell you passed between the hostages coming out and me?" Melinda asks Natasha, though she is making an effort not to look at her.

"Ten minutes." Natasha answers without hesitation as she has always wondered what happened in those ten minutes as she remembers that Melinda's injuries didn't make a lot of sense to anyone when she was in hospital after Bahrain and because Melinda wouldn't talk about what happened no one, not even Fury could come up with an explanation.

"It wasn't ten minutes for me." Melinda responds so quietly that Natasha isn't sure what she heard at first.

"What?" Natasha asks confused.

"It was ten hours. That was her power. She could manipulate time to an extent." Melinda explains, "So while it seemed like to Coulson and the others outside the building that only ten minutes passed for me it was ten hours." Melinda explains, and Natasha is completely shocked, though she is starting to understand things a bit better. "When I woke up I was bolted to a table and she would use her power, at her father's request, to accelerate the time of the injured site so that they could do more." Melinda explains and she starts to shake so Natasha puts an arm around her, "Neither of them were happy with what I did to their cult so they wanted me to feel the pain the felt, tenfold." Melinda reveals, struggling to keep taking as she knows what comes yet.

"I've got you." Natasha says pulling Melinda closer to her.

"And he knew exactly how to do it." Melinda admits, "I wanted to die." She reveals and it is because of that that she froze for a second when she first saw Coulson in the machine when he was being heled by Rania because it hit too close to home, "After six hours and being near death several times I knew that they weren't going to stop." Melinda reveals, "They were going to keep going forever and with her powers they could." She admits, "So I had to come up with a plan." She says as she wraps her arms around her legs and for several minutes she sits like that staring out into space.

"Mel?" Natasha asks concerned when Melinda hasn't said anything after a few minutes, "You don't have to continue." Natasha says as she realises that it is just doing Melinda harm and while she would still be curious about what happened her curiosity isn't worth Melinda being hurt more.

"Yes I do." Melinda responds, "It's time" she admits and she takes a deep breath, forcing herself to continue, "For hours I had been slowly un doing the bolts around my hands so that I could get free." Melinda explains, "I knew that I only had one chance so once the time was right and she was distracted I broke free and grabbed two knives. I threw one at his heart and the other at his head." Melinda explains, "I knew that they both had to be kill shots because if someone is near death then she could accelerated healing time to save them but if they were already dead it would speed up decomposition." Melinda explains, preparing to tell the worse part of the story, "Like I expected her to she ran straight for her father allowing me to get my feet free." Melinda explains, "Once she realise her father was dead she turned to me." Melinda reveals, "I told her that she was free that she didn't have to do what he told her anymore and she attacked." Melinda says her voice breaking, "I managed to restrain her. I tried to get her to understand, but she stabbed me." Melinda explains, "And I killed her." Melinda explains, tears rolling down her face, "She didn't know that it was wrong, she was innocent and I killed her." She tells Natasha, "She was ten years old." Melinda says crying more, something that even before Bahrain, Natasha has never seen.

At Melinda's words Natasha feels hopeless as she knows that after that there is nothing that can be said, nothing to ease that guilt. So she just holds Melinda closer and lets her cry.

"What I did can't be forgiven." Melinda says through tears about ten minutes later, "It was horrible and I would understand if you are disgusted by me, hated me" Melinda admits.

"I've done some unforgivable horrible things too." Natasha says to Melinda, "And you've never once looked at me with disgusted, found me disgusting, or hated me. You've actually told me the opposite more than once. So why would I think that of you?" she asks, "I'm not going to leave you Mel." Natasha says having a feeling that that is what Melinda is trying not to say.

"That's different." Melinda says looking at Natasha for the first time since she began her story, "You were being controlled, you were innocent, just like her. I made a choice." Melinda tells Natasha and as she does Natasha realise something.

"You pushed me away because you saw me in her." Natasha realises, "And you thought you were going to hurt me." She realises, the six months that followed Bahrain and Melinda's actions making more sense, and Melinda nods.

"She didn't know any better, she was so young." Melinda says getting a faraway look in her eyes.

"She also didn't give you a choice." Natasha points out, "From what you have said it was killed or be killed." Natasha says, "And I've known you long enough to know that you would never give up in a fight." Natasha tells Melinda, "That doesn't make what happened, what you did, okay, nothing can." Natasha says knowing that the last thing that Melinda needs is her telling her that its okay, when they both know it's not, "But you did what you were trained to do." Natasha tells her, "You were taught to survive above all else and you did. You're never going to forget what you did or stop feeling guilty for it, believe me I know," Natasha tells her, "and that's okay because the fact that you feel this bad, that it has affected you this much shows what kind of person you are, a good person who has dedicated her life to protection. You made an impossible choice when every choice was a bad one and I get why you pushed me away, but you didn't have to. I can handle the aftermath of the bad. I'm here for you Mel, always." Natasha tells her.

At Natasha words Melinda removes her hands from around her legs, places her head on Natasha's shoulder and grabs her hand, "I'm always here for you too, no matter what." Melinda responds knowing that Natasha needs to hear that just as much as she needed to.

At Melinda's words Natasha places a kiss on the top of Melinda's head and the pair continue to sit against the windows until they both fall asleep and this time they sleep soundly despite the fact that they are both sitting upright on the floor.

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for the support you give me for this story. It means a lot. Truly.

* * *

The following morning, which for Melinda and Natasha is only a few hours later, everyone except Melinda and Natasha are in the main kitchen eating at the table. The only reason why Simmons is having breakfast with everyone instead of being with Fitz and Coulson is that Pepper make it clear to not just Simmons but Bruce and Tony as well that they are to eat before shutting themselves in the labs.

"So anyone know why there was screaming coming from Romanoff's and May's room this morning?" Tony asks interested.

"I don't know why." Clint tells everyone, "But I know it was Mels screaming." He tells everyone and no one decides to question why he knows that as like Clint Maria could tell whose screams it was and the others decide not to question him.

"It was probably because of the side effects of Agent May using the Berserker Staff." Simmons comments.

"What's that?" Bruce asks interested.

"An Asgardian weapon that gives the person using it some super strength caused by rage as a result of their darkest memories." Skye explains, "May fought with it yesterday." She explains.

"How exactly does a person's darkest memories cause rage?" Clint asks worried.

"They re-live them." Simmons says remember what May, Ward and even Natasha have said, "In very vivid detail."

"Natasha asked us on our way here if we knew any ways to help with the side effects of using the staff because May has used it before but we don't." Skye explains.

"That explains the screaming." Clint comments, "Mels would have been forced to re live Bahrain." He realises, "Unless we absolutely have to we leave them alone today." He tells everyone and they all nod.

"Where is the staff now?" Tony asks curious, "I might be able to figure out a way to help If I can get a look at it." He comments.

"It's buried under the collapsed remains of the old Cuba SHIELD base with some of Garrett's super soldiers." Skye explains.

"There goes that idea." Tony comments.

"I agree with Clint about leaving Melinda and Natasha alone but do any of you know where the information on Coulson is?" Maria says looking at Tripp, Skye and Simmons as while she doesn't want to bother Melinda and Natasha they might have no choice.

"I have copies." Skye answers.

"And I have all the research I've done on GH-323." Simmons adds.

"You can take more of my blood if you need to." Skye says wanting to do whatever it takes to help Coulson.

"Why would she need to take your blood?" Pepper asks confused.

"Because I was shot and administered GH325." Skye answers.

"And you haven't had any side effect?" Bruce asks interested.

"No, I haven't." Skye answers.

"That's interesting." Tony muses but he doesn't say anymore.

* * *

Half an hour later everyone with the exception of Clint and Maria have left the kitchen. Even though it is Saturday Pepper has gone to a meeting and the others have gone down to the medical area and labs.

"Do you think they'll be okay this time?" Clint asks Maria curious as like him and Coulson Maria was around to watch Melinda and Natasha's relationship from the beginning, has been their friend for long enough to know them both pretty well.

"If they actually let each other in then I think they could be okay." Maria admits.

"Do you think they will?" Clint asks as personally he thinks there is about a fifty fifty chance but he wants to know Maria's opinion.

"Maybe." Maria responds simply, "How are you doing?" she asks interested.

"Ask me again in a few hours." Clint says standing up, "Are you coming down to the lab?" He asks interested.

"Of course." Maria responds and she too stands up and they both head downstairs.

* * *

When Maria and Clint get down to the Medical lab they find Bruce and Tony going through Fitz's information while Simmons is on the computers getting all the information that she already has on GH325 up and revising it. Skye is sitting between Coulson's and Fitz's beds and Tripp is standing off to the side watching everyone. When they enter the lab Clint goes and sits down near Skye and Maria walks over to Tripp.

"I want to have a conversation with Ward, are you interested in joining me?" She asks curious.

"May Fractured his larynx." Tripp informs Maria, "He won't be doing any talking for a while"

"Then I guess he can listen." Maria says before leaving the lab, Tripp right behind her.

* * *

When Tripp and Maria walk into the room Ward is in they can tell that just for a second he lets some surprise show, likely because they weren't who he was expecting.

"I understand you can't talk at the moment." Maria says walking over to Ward and standing in front of him, but instead of standing over him she squats down in front of him so that she is more of his height, "Although I guess that even if you couldn't you wouldn't say much." Maria tells him, "So I want you to listen." She says, "Three of the smartest people I've ever met are currently trying to find a way to help Fitz and they aren't even sure that they will." Maria tells him, "He is someone who considered you his friend and this is what he got in return." She says, "You're going to have a lot of time to think in the next few days and you should devote a lot of that thinking to Fitz." Maria tells Ward, "and what you can do to make amends to him." Maria says before getting up and leaving the room without another word.

"Garrett's gone man." Tripp tells him, "It's time to make your own choices." He says, "And I hope you make the right ones." He says before also leaving the room.

* * *

Hours after Maria and Tripp visited Ward Melinda starts to wake in hers and Natasha's room for a minute she is confused about why she is sitting on the floor until the events of the night before come back to her and she remembers what happened, what she told Natasha and as she remembers she realises that she doesn't regret it. Yes, it was one of the hardest things she has ever done but at the same time she is glad that she finally told Natasha and she knows that it helped her, helped them.

Now that she is awake Melinda looks and wonders if there is any chance that she can move without waking Natasha. When she realises that there is no way she can Melinda decides to watch Natasha sleep instead.

For about half an hour Melinda watches Natasha sleep until she starts to stir and finally wakes up.

"Hey." Natasha says sleepily, looking at Melinda once she has open her eyes.

"Hey." Melinda responds.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Natasha asks interested and Melinda nods.

"I was going to go make us breakfast, but I didn't want to wake you." Melinda explains to Natasha.

"You can't cook." Natasha comments.

"I don't cook. There's a difference." Melinda explains, "It turns out when working a desk job you can't exactly have take out every night like you can when you're in ops." She reveals, "I asked my mother to teach me a few things, she was thrilled." Melinda explains.

"I bet she would have been." Natasha response, having been present more than once when Melinda and her mother got in arguments about the fact that Melinda, that they both, basically lived of take out because neither of them could cook, baking on the other hand is another story, "Well in that case I have to see this." Natasha comments with a grin.

"Shower first." Melinda says, "Then I'll show off my cooking skills." Melinda says standing up and walking across the room to the on sweet bathroom, "You coming?" Melinda asks turning back to face Natasha when she reaches the door and with a grin Natasha gets up and follows her.

* * *

Almost an hour later Natasha is sitting cross legged on one of the kitchen benches while Melinda starts to prep what she needs and begins to cook it.

"So how did she finally convince you?" Natasha asks interested as for as long as she has known Melinda Lian May has been wanting to give her daughter cooking lessons and every time she has refused.

"She didn't." Melinda answers, "I came home one night and all there was in my fridge was leftover take out and I was just sick of it." Melinda admits, "So the next day I called Mom and asked her to start teaching me." Melinda explains, "So for a couple of hours a couple of times a week I would go over there and she would teach me."

"How did they go?" Natasha asks interested as she knows that Melinda and Lian have a complicated relationship so spending so much time together would have been interesting for them.

"Surprisingly well." Melinda admits.

"Good." Natasha says truly meaning her words, "So what are you making me?" Natasha asks curious.

"You'll have to wait and see." Melinda responds.

"Okay then, how long do I have to wait?" Natasha asks curious.

"Since when are you not patient?" Melinda asks, already knowing the answer to the question but asking it anyway.

"Since I'm hungry." Natasha says jumping off the bench that she is sitting on, "As you very well know." Natasha says walking over to Melinda and putting her arms around her waist and her head on Melinda's shoulder.

"If you distract me it will take longer." Melinda informs Natasha.

"I'm not doing anything." Natasha says in a completely innocent voice, "I'm just hugging my wife." She responds.

"I didn't think hugging looked like that." A voice says from behind them and Melinda and Natasha turn to see Maria standing by the door with an amused smirk on her face, "Hang on. Why are you two near a stove? No good comes from either of you being near a stove." She says then realises something, "Except Natasha's cakes." She adds.

"I'm making breakfast." Melinda tells Maria, though neither she nor Natasha have moved out of the position they are in.

"It's two thirty in the afternoon." Maria informs her.

"A late one then." Melinda explains.

"Okay, fine." Maria says walking over to them, "But that brings me back to my original question, why?" Maria asks, "You can't cook." She says.

"I took lessons with my mother." Melinda tells her friend.

"Lian finally got you to agree?" Maria asks surprised as she also knows Melinda's mother quite well.

"I got desperate." Melinda responds.

"Makes sense." Maria responds, "Have you gotten the 'this is why you should have joined my agency' lecture yet?" Maria asks curious as she sits down on the bench that Natasha was sitting on.

"Yep." Melinda answers, "Nat, made me call her."

"I didn't make you do anything." Natasha argues, "I just suggested it." She points out.

"Technically." Melinda admits, "Can you get plates, this is almost ready." She asks Natasha.

"Any chance there is enough for three?" Maria asks curious, interested in trying Melinda's cooking as she has had Lian's more than once and knows how good it is.

"I think so." Melinda responds and Natasha reluctantly let's go of Melinda and goes to collect the plates.

"How's things going downstairs?" Natasha asks interested.

"Honestly I couldn't tell you." Maria admits, "I only understand every second sentence that those three are saying." She explains.

"How are Skye, Tripp and Clint doing?" Melinda asks.

"Okay, I think." Maria answers, jumping down from the bench, "Skye and Clint are sitting near Coulson and Fitz and Tripp is watching over everyone, "What do you want to drink?" Maria asks going to the fridge.

"What is there?" Melinda asks.

"It's Stark, there's everything." Maria answers.

"Juice." Melinda requests.

"Same." Natasha responds and Maria grabs three cups, a bottle of juice, and takes them to the table.

"It smells really nice." Natasha informs Melinda.

"Glad you think so." Melinda responds.

"So you going to tell me what it is now?" Natasha asks curious.

"It's Stir-fried eggs and tomatoes with chilli soy sauce." Melinda explains.

"Sounds interesting." Natasha comments as Melinda starts to dish out the meal.

"It was the first thing Mom taught me to make, the first thing I mastered." Melinda reveals to Natasha, not talking loud enough for Maria, who is watching the pair with a smile on her face, to hear.

"Then I'm sure it will be perfect." Natasha assures Melinda as they take the plates over to the table.

"So what are we going to do about Clint and Phil?" Maria asks interested, "Lock them in a room together again?" She asks.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Natasha comments taking a bite of what Melinda cooked, "Holy crap Mel, this is amazing." Natasha tells her wife after she has eaten the bite.

"Really?" Melinda asks.

"Really." Natasha confirms.

"Okay Tash is right this is amazing." Maria tells her friends, "But I know it was one of you who locked them in a room together just before Coulson started dating Audrey four years ago." She comments, "Especially considering it happened when Fury was in meetings and wouldn't be needing either of them for a while." She adds.

"He had just started dating her." Melinda reveals, "We just didn't know it." She tells her.

"So it was you." Maria realises.

"Both of us actually." Natasha answers, "Which reminds me, why don't you think we're going to have to set them up?" She asks curious.

"Do you remember Halloween seven years ago?" Melinda asks curious.

"Barely." Maria responds at the same time Natasha says "Vaguely."

"Well you know the photos at least right?" Melinda asks.

"Of course." Maria answers, "I think looking at them are the only reason why I remember something." She admits, "For five spies we were way to camera happy."

"We really were." Natasha confirms.

"Well during the last year. Whenever things got really hard I noticed him looking at those photos." Melinda explains, "And I had I noticed that he had a habit of staring at the ones of him and Clint." Melinda tells the others, "We know how they feel and I think Phil at least is ready to admit it. We've just go to give them time." She says.

"Hopefully they have the time." Maria says and a sombre feeling fills the room.

"We should head down to the lab." Melinda says.

"Yeah, we should." Natasha comments and they each finish the last few bites of what they are eating before, putting their plates in the sink and heading down to the labs.

* * *

When Melinda, Natasha and Maria enter the lab a few minutes later they find Tony, Simmons, Bruce, Skye, and Clint standing in the middle of the room, looking like they are in the middle of an argument. Skye and Clint on one side, Tony, Simmons and Bruce on another.

"What is going on?" Melinda asks when she sees the site.

"They want to wake AC up." Skye explains.

"What?" Melinda, Natasha and Maria ask surprised, "Why?" Melinda asks.

"We think that Coulson was in so much pain because you broke his trace like state." Simmons explains, "We want to wake him and watch him." She explains, "If he has an episode again we want to watch and see what happens, see whether the pain will come if we don't break it."

"They want to use him as a science experiment." Clint says angrily, "He's had enough of that don't you think?" he asks the group at large, "I've spent the last few hours reading the files, the last thing that he needs is to be tested on again." Clint says angrily causing Melinda, Maria and Natasha to exchange a look as they have all read the files and know how hard it would have been for Clint to read them.

"We need more information." Bruce says, "If we're going to figure out a way to help him then we need to know more, and this is the only way we can." He explains.

"Is waking him up the best way to help him?" Melinda asks curious.

"Mels you cannot be seriously considering this." Clint tells his friend, turning to look at her.

"Yes, it is." Tony answers.

"Let's talk outside." Melinda says looking directly at Clint who nods and the two of them leave the room.

"Okay can one of you explain the relationships between you people. I'm getting more confused with every second." Tony says looking at Natasha and Melinda.

"Mel and Phil have been friends since they were eighteen." Natasha explains, "They're best friends who, along with Fury, have a complicated deep relationship that is better not questioned." She explains as while she knows the full extent of that relationship she thinks that none of them would want it shared, "Mel, Phil and Fury found Clint in 96 and in 97 he begin to work with Mel and Phil while Fury moved up in SHIELD." Natasha explains, "They're friends. Mel and Phil were his joint SO's." She explains.

"Really?" Skye asks surprised, finding it cool that the two people she looks up to the most trained an avenger, and Natasha nods.

"I joined SHIELD in 2000 and after September 11 they graduated all promising cadets early and assigned them to teams. I was assigned with Melinda, Phil and Clint. Melinda took me under her wing so to speak." Maria explains, "We're friends." She explains, leaving the real explanation of what they are to later.

"In 03 Clint brought me in." Natasha explains, "And I worked with them to. Mel was the first person who apart from Clint who didn't treat me differently" She explains, "Even you did in the beginning." She says looking at Maria.

"Yeah I did." Maria admits, knowing that it took her time to trust Natasha, "We were a team and over time the five of us and Fury to a lesser extent have become the closes to thing to a family that any of us are capable of having." Maria adds.

"Seriously?" Skye asks interested.

"Seriously." Natasha answers, "Though I have a feeling that our makeshift family has some new members." She says and Skye smiles, realising who she is talking about, "That answer your question Stark?" she asks curious.

"Yeah, just gives me a hundred new ones." Tony comments surprised.

* * *

"How can you be okay with this?" Clint asks Melinda as soon as they are out in the hall, "Okay with everything that was done to him?" He asks.

"I'm not." Melinda responds simply, "When Nick first told me everything, what he did, what he wanted me to do, I quit." Melinda admits, telling Clint something that she hasn't even told Natasha yet, "But then he told me that he would assign someone to watch Phil no matter what and if I wasn't me then it would be someone who didn't know him as well." Melinda explains, "Someone who didn't care as much, and I couldn't let that happened. So I punched my boss in the face and agreed to spy on my best friend." She reveals, "He was in so much pain yesterday." Melinda tells the man who she sees as a little brother.

"Then how can you be considering letting them wake him up?" Clint asks.

"Because people smarter than me think it's the best way to help him." Melinda says simply, "And I'm willing to do whatever that takes." She tells Clint.

"Even let him be in excruciating pain?" Clint asks.

"No." Melinda tells him, "If he is in pain when he wakes then I'll sedate him myself and they can find another way." Melinda explains and Clint gives a small, hesitant nod.

"Did you seriously punch Fury in the face?" Clint asks interested.

"Yeah, I was angry." Melinda admits.

"You're awesome." Clint says with a look of awe as they walk back into the lab, knowing that along with Melinda, Natasha and likely Maria are the only other people who could get away with punching Fury in the face. Coulson probably could to but he would never do it so it's a null point.

"What's the verdict?" Tony asks.

"I'll tell you in a minute." Melinda says before walking over to Skye as she wants Skye to understand her reason's to.

"You're going to wake him up aren't you?" Skye says to May.

"It's the best way to help him." Melinda says with a nod, "But If he is in pain he is going to be sedated again." She says looking at the scientists who nod.

"He should wake in shorty." Simmons says as she administers the medication to reverse the sedation.

"How's Fitz?" Melinda asks interested.

"Like Agent Coulson we won't know for sure until he wakes but unlike Agent Coulson we can't force him to wake." Simmons explains as everyone takes seats around the room, all of them, watching Coulson and waiting for him to wake, hoping that he won't be in pain when he does.

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for your support of this story.

* * *

For half an hour the group sits and watches Coulson. During that half an hour Pepper arrives back and she joins them.

"Melinda do you know why a prisoner of the FBI would request by name, to talk to you, Coulson or Fury?" Pepper asks interested, soon after she arrives back.

"What's their name?" Melinda asks interested.

"Robert Riggs." Pepper answers, to Melinda's shock.

"Mel? Friend or foe?" Natasha asks interested.

"Both." Melinda's and to everyone's else's shock, Coulson's voice answers.

"Sir, are you feeling? Are you in any pain?" Simmons asks racing to his side with Tony and Bruce as everyone else races to his side.

"No, I'm okay." Coulson asks sitting up, "What happened?" he asks confused.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Tony asks interested.

"Stark?" Coulson asks shocked, "I'm so confused." He admits.

"Just answer the question Phil." Melinda requests.

"Um, you and Tasha we're holding me and then my head felt like it was going to explode." Coulson says a look on his face like he is trying to remember, "What happened?" He asks.

"Side effects." Natasha answers.

"Oh." Coulson responds, "How long ago?" He asks.

"Yesterday." Skye answers, "You were writing some funky thing on the wall." She explains, "May tried to snap you out of it and it didn't end well." She reveals.

"I didn't hurt you did I?" Coulson asks looking at Melinda worried.

"Nothing I can't handle." Melinda responds.

"I'm sorry." He tells her sincerely.

"It's okay." Melinda assures him.

"Where are we?" He asks as it doesn't look like the playground.

"Avenger's Tower." Clint answers.

"Clint." Coulson says in shock, "It's, um, good to see you." He tells him.

"You too Sir." Clint responds causing Melinda, Natasha and Maria to internally wince as they know that if Clint calls Coulson sir and they aren't on a mission then he is pissed.

"Simmons, Stark and Dr Banner have been trying to figure out a way to help you." Melinda tells him, "But they needed you to be awake." She explains.

"Oh, okay." Coulson responds, "It's good to see you Pepper, Stark, Dr Banner." He says, though Natasha, Melinda and Maria notice that he is looking at Clint, who is looking right back.

"It is." Pepper tells him, "But just because I'm happy to see you doesn't mean that I'm not mad at you for not telling me that you are alive."

"Understood." Coulson responds.

"How you feeling, Agent?" Tony asks interested.

"Fine." Coulson responds, "Good actually."

"You're not feeling any need to write?" Bruce asks.

"No." Coulson responds, "Maybe it was just a one-time thing." He suggests.

"Possible, but I doubt it." Simmons comments and pretty much everyone is starting to notice that Coulson and Clint are staring at each other.

"Pepper, how about you, me, Lin, and Tasha go talk about this Roger Riggs." Maria suggests and the other three nod and leave the room.

"Skye, Simmons, neither of you have had lunch how about we go do that." Tripp says and the only reason they agree is that realise what is going on.

"We need to go check something in the other lab." Bruce says basically pulling Tony out of the room.

"Clint..." Coulson begins to say but Clint cuts him off.

"Don't Phil, I just need to know, why?" Clint asks his friend, someone he has been in love with for a long time.

"At first it was because I was ordered not to." Coulson admits, "Then I begin to read reports of what happened to you after New York and I didn't want to hurt you more." He admits, "I thought I would cause you less pain by staying away." He admits.

"What would have caused me less pain is knowing you were okay." Clint tells Coulson, "What happened New York happened because I thought you were dead and that it was my fault." He says.

"What?" Coulson asks shocked standing up, "Why would it be your fault?"

"Because I got Loki onto the Helicarrier and he got you." Clint responds simply.

"I didn't know you felt this way." Coulson admits.

"No one does." Clint responds, "Well except Nat, and Mels too I recon." He adds.

"If I knew, I would have told you, orders be dammed." He says taking several steps towards Clint, "For so long I didn't know what had happened or if I was even really me." Coulson admits, "I'm sorry." He says, "I truly mean that."

"I can tell." Clint responds, "I am glad that you're okay Phil."

"And I am glad to see you, and you shouldn't blame yourself for what happened" Coulson responds.

"Have you told Audrey?" Clint asks curious, purposely changing the subject.

"No, and I'm not going to." Coulson reveals.

"Why not?" Clint asks

"Because she's finally got her life back." He reveals, "It's not fair of me to ruin that."

"Are you okay with that?" Clint asks, "I know how you felt about her."

"I am." Coulson confirms, "It's for the best." He says, "And I've realised something in the past few months." Coulson says about a minute later, drawing courage to do something he's been thinking about for years.

"Yeah, what's that?" Clint asks curious.

"That while I love Audrey the person I'm in love with is you." Coulson reveals, holding his breath as he waits for Clint's response.

"Really?" Clint ask shocked as while he knew his feelings for Coulson he didn't think he recuperated them and he accepted that.

"Really." Coulson confirms getting rid of the last few steps between them, "I guess it took me dying to admit it to myself." He says and as soon as he is close enough Clint reaches out and pulls him into a kiss.

"I love you too." Clint responds once they break apart.

* * *

"So what is happening down in the lab?" Pepper asks curious as She, Melinda, Maria and Natasha make their way up to one of the lounge rooms.

"Hopefully two idiots admitting that they have been in love with each other for eighteen years." Melinda comments as while Coulson and Clint are her family she knows that they are idiots when it comes to each other and is very happy to point that out.

"Although they are pretty thick so I wouldn't count on it." Maria comments.

"I think there is a chance." Natasha comments as they arrive at the lounges, "The only question is if they will take it." She tells them.

"Going by the way they were looking at each other I think they will." Pepper tells the others

"Either that or they are going to get in a punching match, either is a possibility." Melinda responds and the group drift into silence.

"Who's Robert Riggs, and what does he want with You, Nick and Phil?" Natasha asks curious several minutes later.

"Classified doesn't really matter now does it?" Melinda says looking at Maria.

"Not in this group of people." Maria responds.

"It was early in our Strike Team Beta days." Melinda reveals, "It was only a few months in. Robert Riggs was our source inside a compound that we needed to get into." Melinda explains, "He helped us but then the other side found out what he was doing and they threatened his family to force him to give us bad Intel hours before we were to breach." She explains.

"How bad?" Maria asks.

"A bullet each." Melinda answers like it's no big deal to Pepper's compete shock, "Once the compound was secure Riggs handed over every incriminating piece of information on him and he refused to take a deal, he said he didn't deserve it." Melinda explains, "Did he say anymore?" she asks Pepper.

"No, the FBI only contacted Stark Industries because they know Maria works for us." Pepper explains.

"Can you think of any reason why he would want to talk to you?" Natasha asks curious.

"No." Melinda answers, "It was a long time ago, and I'm pretty sure he gets out of jail soon." she admits.

"So what the hell is going on with Barton and Coulson?" Tony asks walking into the room with Bruce, Skye, Simmons and Tripp. Skye and Simmons sharing a muffin as they walk.

"Short version is that they have been in love with each other for eighteen years, but neither of them will admit it." Maria explains.

"Seriously?" Skye asks surprised.

"Seriously." Melinda, Natasha and Maria respond.

"I'm surprised you've let it go on this long." Tony comments, "From what I know I would have though you would have done something about them a long time ago." He admits.

"We've tried." Natasha answers.

"Many times." Melinda adds.

"And you were never very subtle about it." Coulson says walking in the room with Clint.

"And yet neither of you have ever done anything about it." Maria comments.

"What can I say; these things take time." Clint says as he and Coulson sit down.

"Well as one of only two other people who have been watching you two from the day you met eighteen years ago I say it's about time." Melinda says.

"How old are you?" Tony asks and he gets slapped by Pepper, "Tony."

"What, I'm curious." Tony objects.

"None of your business Stark." Melinda responds as even though she has no problem with him knowing her age she knows that it will annoy him not to know and that will amuse her.

"Coulson, how old are you?" Tony asks as he knows that Coulson and Melinda are the same age.

"Not going to happen Stark." Coulson tells him and the group drift into silence.

"So what happens now?" Skye asks curious.

"Before you decide know that you're all more than welcome to stay as long as you want." Tony tells them, hoping that they take him up on the offer.

"We need to stay until Fitz is awake." Simmons says, "This is the best place for him Sir." Simmons says, "Plus if you have another incident then it's the best place for you too." She says.

"Well I guess we're staying for a while." Coulson says after exchange a look with Melinda as the look Melinda is giving him clearly says that she agrees.

"I'm going to go check on Fitz." Simmons says getting up and leaving, "I'll go with you." Tripp says following her. Skye looks torn she looks like she wants to go with Simmons and Tripp and that she also wants to stay and talk to the 'adults'

"Wait for me." Skye finally decides once the elevator arrives and she runs to catch it.

"So how bad was it really?" Coulson asks Melinda once the elevator door close.

"You were caving things into a wall, in a trance and then you screamed in pain when we snapped you out of it. What do you think Phil?" Melinda asks her friend.

"That it was bad." Coulson responds.

"That's your answer." Melinda tells him.

* * *

For the next week Coulson's team continues to stay at Avengers tower and Simmons continues to do whatever she can to help Fitz, which isn't much. Most nights you find her sleeping in the lab instead of in her own rooms.

Tripp, along with Tony and Bruce who have taken a shine to the young scientist have been doing their best to help and watch out for her, but there isn't much that they can do. It has become clear to everyone that she needs Fitz to wake up.

Skye seems to divide her time pretty evenly between being in the labs with Simmons and being with Natasha, Melinda, Maria and Pepper. Natasha, Melinda and Maria seem to be determine to teach her everything that Ward didn't, and Skye seems just as determine to learn. When she is around Pepper joins in on the lessons being as almost as determine as Skye to learn.

Coulson and Clint seem to be doing everything. They spend time in the labs, time with Tony and Bruce, work on SHILED business with Melinda, Natasha and Maria, and still find time to spend time together building their now romantic relationship and to everyone's relief Coulson hasn't had another incident.

It is around ten o'clock at night and Skye and Tripp are down in the labs trying to get Simmons to spend some time away from Fitz. Tony, Bruce, Clint and Coulson are in one of the lounge rooms talking and drinking and Melinda, Natasha, Maria and Pepper are in another doing the same thing.

"I'm going to take Skye with me tomorrow." Melinda reveals to the others.

"You are?" Natasha asks surprised and Melinda nods, "Are you going to give her flying lesson?" She asks curious as because the bus has been sitting at an airport for a week it was decide that Melinda would go out to the airport, run maintenance and take it for a short flight.

"Not tomorrow." Melinda tells her, "But I do want her to come with me so that she can observe everything." She explains.

"Sounds good to me." Natasha responds, "Skye's picking up everything we're teaching her quickly so I don't doubt that she will pick up flying quickly to." She says.

"I think so too." Melinda confirms.

"You doing okay there Pep?" Maria asks curious, and slightly concerned.

"Yep, why do you ask?" Pepper asks curious.

"Because you've drunk twice as much as the rest of us." Natasha says, "What's wrong?" She asks curious, "Or should I say what's Tony done now?" Natasha asks.

"Am I that predictable?" Pepper asks.

"No, he is." Melinda answers, "What's going on?" she asks as in the last week she has spent a lot of time with Pepper and has started to consider her a friend.

"I love him." Pepper tells them, "I really do, but he just makes me so furious sometimes." She reveals.

"Pep, what did he do?" Maria asks, her voice serious.

"It's stupid." Pepper says shrugging.

"Not if it's making you drink twice as much as you usually do it's not." Natasha tells her.

"We have an open relationship." Pepper reveals to the others surprise, "It was something we both realised we needed to have." She explains, "I have never taken advantage of it." Pepper explains, "He has. Our rule is that we always talk about what we want before anything happens." She explains, "And I tried talking to him and he just made jokes." She says before downing the rest of her drink.

"Do you want us to kill him?" Maria asks, "Because we can do that. Between the three of us no one would ever find the body." She offers.

"No, I just want him to take what I want seriously." Pepper explains with a sigh.

"What else do you want?" Natasha ask interested, "Do you want to continue to go the way you have been with Tony or do you want to give this a chance with this other person?" She asks interested as she has a pretty good idea who the other person is.

"I don't know." Pepper admits, "Like I said I love him and I know he loves me." She reveals, "But I don't know if we work or if we will just hurt each other in the long run which is the last thing I want because I really do love him." She admits, "Does that make sense?" she asks interested.

"Yeah it does." Melinda answers.

"I think you need to talk to him." Maria comments, "Figure everything out." She says.

"I think so too." Pepper admits and the three of them drift into silence.

* * *

A few hours later, about an hour after everyone has gone to bed, Clint wakes to an empty bed.

"Jarvis where is Phil?" He asks worried.

"In the kitchen, and Sir. He appears to be asleep but he is carving things into the wall." Jarvis explains.

"How long has he been doing that for?" Clint asks worried throwing of his blankets.

"Three minutes, twenty five seconds." Jarvis responds.

"Wake everyone tell them what happened." Clint says as he quickly puts on some clothes before rushing out of his and Phil's room.

* * *

Clint has only been in the kitchen watching Coulson for seconds when Melinda and Natasha rush into the room.

"How long?" Melinda asks, seeing what is going on.

"Jarvis said only a few minutes." Clint responds as Maria, closely followed by Tripp and Skye arrive.

"Not again." Skye says sounding worried and Tripp puts a comforting hand on her shoulder as Simmons arrives and about a minute later Bruce, Tony and Pepper do.

"What do we do?" Clint asks looking at Simmons, Tony and Bruce.

"We watch." Simmons answers, "See what happens." She says and though they don't like it the others nod.

For almost an hour the group watches as Coulson carves into the wall until he finally stops. Once he does he stars at what he's carved for several minutes before walking over and putting the knife back in the chopping box and leaving the room. The others not far behind him.

Once he leaves the kitchen Coulson heads back to his and Clint's room where he lays back down on the bed, and seemingly falls back asleep.

"Do I wake him?" Clint asks.

"No." Bruce answers, "Let him sleep. Wait until he wakes on his own." He says, "If you wake him early it could cause him pain again." Bruce explains and Clint nods.

"We'll leave you alone." Melinda says, "Get Jarvis to get us if something happens." She says and Clint nods so Melinda, Natasha, Maria, Skye, Pepper and Tripp leave the room.

"We'll be down in the lab." Tony says, "Same deal with us." He says and Clint nods and the three scientists leave.

Once the others leave Clint climbs back into bed besides Coulson except this time he has no plan of actually sleeping, he is going to watch in case Coulson has another 'incident' as they have started being called.

* * *

It is around seven o'clock in the morning when Coulson wakes up and finds Clint watching him, and as soon as he sees the look on his boyfriend's face he knows something happened.

"What happed?" Coulson asks worried.

"You had another incident." Clint reveals.

"Oh." Coulson responds, not sure what to say.

"Simmons, Tony and Bruce re down in the lab, and have been since it happened trying to figure it out." Clint explains.

"I don't remember anything." Coulson informs Clint.

"I'm not surprised." Clint tells Coulson, "It was like you were asleep except you were carving things that made no sense into the kitchen wall." Clint explains.

"I'm losing it." Coulson says his voice full of pain.

"Not yet your not." Clint tells his boyfriend, "You've only done it twice." He says, "Simmons, Bruce and Tony will find a way to help you." He says.

"How do you know?" Coulson asks.

"Because I have faith in them, and I know you won't give up and nether will I." Clint tells his boyfriend and the pair exchange a kiss.

* * *

Just like she has ever day for the past week Skye gets up at five am to train with Melinda, Natasha, Maria and Pepper. She has come to really enjoy the lessons and quite likes it that Pepper is there because it means that she isn't the only newbie.

The training goes on for several hours and just like she has been after her shower Skye brings breakfast down to Simmons, so that they can have breakfast together and Simmons doesn't have to leave Fitz. Tony and Bruce have gone upstairs, to see how Coulson is and for breakfast leaving Skye, Simmons and an unconscious Fitz the only ones in the lab.

"What are you so happy about?" Simmons asks shocked when she sees her friend, "I thought after last night you wouldn't be too good." She comments.

"May's taking me with her to the airfield." Skye explains, "I'm not going to get to fly today but she's going to start teaching me about what everything does." Skye explains, "I'm really looking forward to it." She admits.

"Oh, sounds good." Simmons tells her friend.

"How's he doing?" Skye asks looking at Fitz.

"The same." Simmons answers, "I keep trying to think of ways to wake him up but none of them work." She admits, "I feel useless." Simmons admits.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you." Skye says reaching out and holding her friends' hand.

"I know, me too." Simmons responds and the pair drift into silence, though Skye doesn't let go of Simmons's hand.

"Didn't Bruce say that things were looking promising?" Skye asks a few minutes later.

"No, he said things were looking better but we still have no idea when he will wake." Simmons reveals.

"Skye, May wants you upstairs." Tripp says walking into the lab.

"You going to be okay?" Skye asks Simmons.

"Yeah, go." Simmons responds.

"Are you sure?" Skye asks.

"Positive." Simmons responds and Skye gives Jemma's hand a squeeze before letting it go standing up.

"Look after her Tripp." Skye says before leaving the lab.

* * *

After leaving the lab Melinda and Skye head to the airfield where the bus is being kept. For an hour Skye listen and learns as May explains how to check the plane and what you have to check on pre-flight. Once that is done Melinda takes the plane into the air where for the first time Skye watches what May does instead of looking out of the window.

"How long did it take you to learn when you were first learning?" Skye asks curious.

"Months." Melinda answers, "Just like driving flying takes a while to learn." Melinda tells Skye who nods, "Buckle up I want to test something before we land." She tells Skye who is a little nervous but does as requested anyway.

Once she is sure that Skye is buckled in Melinda does a couple of barrel rolls and a few other mauvers that makes Skye think she is going to throw up her breakfast and Melinda, after seeing her reaction, has the smallest smirks on her face.

"What was the point of that?" Skye asks as they land.

"If we are followed or under attack while in this plane then I need to know just what it can do." Melinda explains, "I thought it would be a better idea to do that when no one was around." She explains, "Plus it was good that I did. I learnt about something I need to fix down in avionics." Melinda reveals, "Come on, I need an extra set of hands." She says and Skye follows her downstairs.

* * *

For the next hour Skye works with Melinda down in avionics fixing the problem she noticed. Skye being practically positive that Melinda was cursing, Ward, Garrett, Hydra or a combination every few minutes. Once they are finished there they head back to the command centre where Melinda is showing Skye how to check flight data and edit maintenance.

They have been doing that for about fifteen minutes when the proximity alarm goes off, causing Melinda to get the security camera's feeds up on the screen.

"We're surrounded." Skye says worried.

"That we are." Melinda looking closely at exactly how many people are surrounding her plane.

"Hydra?" Skye asks.

"That would be my guess." Melinda responds.

"What do we do?" Skye asks.

"You're going to hide." Melinda says knowing that she has a better chance of taking them out if she is isn't worrying quite as much about Skye, because while Skye is becoming a pretty decent fighter with that many Hydra agents the risk to her is too high.

"What! No. There are like thirty guys out there. You can't take them all on your own." Skye objects.

"We don't have time to argue about this." Melinda says crossing the room the cupboard that only she and Coulson have access to where she knows she can find several ICER, "I want you to go upstairs." Melinda tells her, "Climb up into the hatch where planes dock from above." She says as she hands Skye an ICER, "It is going to be cramped but don't open the outside hatch and close the other one behind you." She says to Skye, "Don't come out until can get you." She says.

"What if you don't come back?" Skye asks, "How long do I wait before coming out?"

"Use your judgement." Melinda tells her, "It's pretty good." She says, "We're wasting time, go." Melinda tells Skye who surprises her by giving her a hug before running up the stairs, and Melinda makes her downstairs, only one goal in mind, making sure they don't get Skye.

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for the support you have given me. I have finished the last chapter of this story today and it will be 17 chapters.

* * *

Once Skye has hidden herself in the tiny cramped space the first thing she does is searches her pockets for her phone, planning on calling for help. After about a minute of searching Skye realises that she can't find it, and it then she remembers that May made her leave it in her bunk as she didn't want it in the cockpit where it could distract her.

"She's on her own." Skye says to herself in fear, hoping that the person that has become so important to her will be okay.

* * *

As she knows that she has to be smart about this Melinda opens the cargo ramp and before it is even completely down she runs and, shooting the ICERS as she does, she jumps down from the ramp onto the ground. She is pretty sure she has ICED at least seven of the Hydra agents when the ICERS get knocked out of her hands.

"I thought the Cavalry preferred to use her hands." An agent who Melinda remembers working missions with about ten years ago says.

"Don't ever call me that." Melinda says as she knocks the guy out.

"All units to the cargo bay, we've got the Cavalry, I repeat we've got the Cavalry." Another agent says, though Coms, and Melinda takes him down.

As she hears that Melinda just focuses on what she has to do, not letting any other thoughts enter her mind.

Melinda is fighting one of the agents when she feels a sharp pain in her right leg that tells her she has been shot, but she remains standing, or she does until an agent who worked with Garrett comes from the other side of the plane and throws a night night grenade, knocking her out.

"What do we do?" One of the other Hydra agents ask the guy who threw the grenade.

"Get everyone in the cars." He says, "We've got the Cavalry, that's the dream, the perfect test subject." He says knowing that his new boss will be very happy with him, "But we can't leave evidence." He says picking up Melinda's dropped ICER and firing several shots into May.

"Do we search the rest of the plane?" One of the other agents asks.

"No. if anyone else was there they would have come out by now." He responds, dragging Melinda to the car.

* * *

For half an hour Skye stays hidden where Melinda told her to, making as little noise as possible. With every minute that passes Skye becomes more worried about May and when she hits the half an hour mark she knows that she can't hide anymore. So being as quite as possible, being able to achieve that quite well thanks to the lessons she has had for the last week, she sneaks down to the floor below. Once she reaches the stairs near Coulson's office Skye pauses and looks to make sure that no one is around. Once she thinks it's clear she walks down several steps before pausing to take another look. Once she is sure, or as sure as she can be, that the floor is clear. Skye sprints over to the Command Centre where the security feeds are still up.

As she looks at them Skye realises that they are completely clear, no sign of Hydra or May so Skye rewinds them half an hour and watches as May takes down a whole bunch of Hydra agents before getting shot, hit with what grenade that Skye recognizes and hit a few more times with an ICER before being dragged away.

"No, May." Skye says worried and afraid but she doesn't let herself dwell on that. Instead, being glad that they still have internet, Skye makes a video call to Avengers Tower.

"What's going on?" Tony's voice asks, "Aren't you guys on your way back yet?" Tony asks Skye curious as he appears on the screen.

"May's been taken by Hydra." Skye tells Tony.

"What?" Tony ask shocked, "Jarvis, get everyone up here NOW! Tell them it's an emergency." He says.

"Yes Sir." Jarvis responds.

"What happened?" Tony asks.

"We were looking at flight data when the proximity alarm went off so we pulled up the security cameras and discovered that the plane was surrounded." Skye explains, "May told me to hide and she went to them."

"Do you have security footage of her being taken?" Tony asks.

"Yeah, there was a bit of a fight before one of them got her with a night night grenade." Skye explains.

"Stark, what's going on?" Natasha's voice asks and Skye sees Natasha on the camera, walking in with Coulson, Clint, Maria, Pepper and Tripp, which means that Natasha would have seen her.

"Skye? What happened?" Natasha asks, trying not to think of the worse.

"May was taken by Hydra." Skye reveals, "I wanted to help her fight but she told me to hide. I'm sorry." Skye reveals as Simmons and Bruce walk in the room.

"No." Natasha says fear and pain in her voice.

"Skye send me over all the footage you have." Tony says.

"Already on it." Skye responds.

"Skye I'm coming to get you." Maria says, "Get back to where ever Lin told you to hide." She says, "Don't come out until you hear my voice." She says.

"Okay." Skye responds knowing that now isn't the time to argue.

"I'm coming." Natasha says to her friend when Skye ends the call, "Mel might have left us a clue." She says and Maria nods, "When Stark gets it you to go through the footage, see if you can get any ideas of where they could have taken Mel." Natasha says and Coulson and Clint nod, no one questioning why she is giving the orders.

"Let's go." Natasha says.

"I'm coming." Pepper says and no neither Maria nor Natasha object.

* * *

As they drive to the airfield Maria and Pepper severely regret letting Natasha drive as with the way she is driving they are pretty sure that there is a pretty good chance that they aren't going to get there in one piece.

"And you complain about Coulson's driving." Maria says to her friend.

"Coulson almost crashes. I'm in complete control." Natasha tells her friend.

"If you say so." Maria responds, wondering how pissed Tony will be if Natasha crashed his car.

* * *

Thanks to Natasha's driving they make it to the airfield in ten minutes.

"I'll go get Skye." Maria says as they jump out of the car and instead of walking into the plane Natasha walks over to where there is blood on the ground and Pepper who realises that Natasha needs her more than Maria is standing right next to her.

"You don't know it's hers." Pepper says to Natasha, noticing what she is staring at.

"You don't know it's not." Natasha responds, "It takes a hell of a lot to take Mel down." Natasha reveals. "It's most likely hers." Natasha tells Pepper.

If Pepper thought that it would help Natasha she would tell her that they will get Melinda back but because she knows it won't Pepper just stands with her friend in silence until they hear footsteps behind them

"Skye, what did you see?" Natasha asks.

"There was about thirty Hydra agents surrounding the plane." Skye explains, "May ordered me to hide and she went to the secret cupboard that her and Coulson have in the command centre and pulled out three ICERS. Kept two for herself and gave me the third." Skye explains, "According to the security footage she took down some of them before they could realise what is going on, but then the ICERs got knocked out of her hands and she had to fight, hand to hand." Skye explains, "It looked like she was shot in the leg but I can't be sure because she kept fighting." Skye reveals, "After that she got hit with a night night Grenade and once she was out they shot her several times with her own ICERS and dragged her to a vehicle." Skye explains, "I'm sorry, I should have helped her, I shouldn't have listened."

"No, don't do that." Natasha tells her, "Don't blame yourself." She says as while she is terrified about Melinda she doesn't want Skye to blame herself and she knows Melinda wouldn't want that either, "You did the right thing. It was thirty to two. Mel wanted to protect you." Natasha says.

"And now she's paying the price." Skye says, torn between anger and fear.

"Which is exactly why we're going to get her back." Natasha says, "Wait here." She says and she heads into the plane wanting to see if Melinda left her a clue.

Natasha spends a couple of minutes searching the places that she knows that Melinda would have left clues that only she would look. When she doesn't find any she is disappointed until she realises that Melinda didn't' really have time to leave clues.

"Did you find anything?" Pepper asks as Natasha walks down the cargo bay.

"No." Natasha responds getting in the car.

* * *

Just like she did to get them to the airfield Natasha drives back to Avengers Tower just as insane resulting in the trip once again taking only ten minutes. Once they arrive back at the Tower they head to Tony's office where they know everyone will be.

"What have you found?" Natasha asks walking into the room.

"We're running facial rec on the Hydra agents and because the one who threw the Dendrotoxin grenade looked at the camera we've got the lip reading program running." Clint says.

"Done." Tony says pressing play, "We've got the Cavalry, that's the dream, the perfect test subject." A mechanical voice says, causing everyone to become worried about what they are going to do to Melinda, "But we can't leave any evidence." The voice says and everyone watches at the man shots Melinda several times with the ICER. Even though she knows that it was an ICER Natasha tenses and feels more fury rise with every shot.

"I thought only Garrett's group of Hydra agents had our designs." Simmons says giving Natasha an idea.

"Tasha?" Clint asks concerned as Natasha turns and almost runs out of the room, "What are you doing?" He asks then he realises, "Ward." He says and in seconds he, Maria, Coulson and Tripp go running out of the room after her.

* * *

Knowing that it won't take long for the others to realise what she is doing Natasha grabs a chair on her way to Ward. Once she enters the room that has become Ward's cell Natasha enters and jams the chair under the door knob so that it cannot be opened from the outside and if Ward is surprised he doesn't say anything or let it show.

"You're going to tell me everyone that Garrett gave his dendrotoxin grenades to and you're going to tell me now." Natasha tells Ward.

"Why would I do that?" Ward asks his voice still horse after what Melinda did to him.

"Because I am not going to give you a choice." Natasha says they both start to hear to hear noises from the outside, the noises of people clearly trying to get in.

"Agent Romanoff, Agent Barton has asked me to tell you to think about this." Jarvis informs Natasha.

"Tell him I already have." Natasha responds, "Names Ward, I want them now." She says.

"Is this you actually having emotions Agent Romanoff?" Ward asks, "I didn't think that was possible." He comments, "Unless, the rumours are true." He realises, "And something's happened to the Ice Queen, to your precious Melinda." He says, "I'm right aren't I?" He asks, with a smirk, and Natasha doesn't answer him, "Well good." Ward comments, "It's time that something was done about the great Cavalry." He says, and with every word that he says Natasha can feel her fury grow, which is exactly what he is aiming for, but she won't let it show, not to him, "You can do whatever you want to me Agent Romanoff, but I won't tell you what you want to know, I want her to suffer." He says and it is clear in not just the way he is saying but his body language that Ward want's May to suffer, that he will never help them.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that Ward." Natasha responds, watching him carefully, "You have no idea what I'm willing to do." She tells him.

"Oh, but I think I do." Ward responds, "You and I aren't that different." He tells her, "You can't play a player." Ward reveals to her.

"Oh, but I can." Natasha says taking several steps towards him as while even though she would like to take her frustration out on him she knows that that won't get her anyway, she has to out manipulate him, and she has a pretty good idea of how to do it, "But I'm not going to do that." She lies.

"Why don't I believe you?" Ward asks.

"Because like you said, we're players, but this time I'm going to be honest with you Ward and you can choose whether or not you believe me." She says taking several steps towards Ward, displaying the concern that she is feeling, "Skye was with Melinda." Natasha reveals, watching Ward's reaction carefully, "They were at the plane checking things, Melinda was going to give Skye her first flying lesson and a group of Hydra agents hit them with a dendratoxin grenade. The same grenade's that Garrett created. They were both taken and we don't know where." Natasha informs him.

"You're lying." Ward says to her, though there is the tiniest tremor to his words, like he might believe her.

"I could be." Natasha responds, knowing that if she straight out said that she wasn't lying then he would be suspicious, "But are you prepared to risk it?" She asks, "Whoever took them said that they were the dream, the perfect test subjects. Do you really want Skye to be subjected to that?" She asks and looking at him, being able to tell that he is close to telling her what she wants to know.

"The choice is yours." Natasha tells him, her voice becoming stern instead of sympathetic because that's not the right way to go, "You can tell me what I want to know and save Skye, or you can prove what everyone, including her, thinks, that you don't care, that you never cared about her." Natasha says, "The choice is yours Ward, but you should think about what is happening to her while you make that decision." Natasha says turning away from Ward and walking towards the door, having a feeling that she isn't going to get there.

"Wait." He says and Natasha turns back around.

"Yes?" Natasha asks raising an eyebrow.

"I never knew his name but there was a man that Garrett was afraid of." Ward reveals, "Garrett always gave him everything that he was working on. He started Garrett on the Centipede project." Ward reveals.

"Where can I find him?" Natasha asks.

"I don't know." Ward responds, "Garrett would always say that Pierce was the face, the head, but this guy was the brain; he worked under Zola, trained under him." He explains, "Please. Find her. They could do anything to her." He says and Natasha picks up the chair and leaves the room.

"Nicely done." Maria says when Natasha walks out the room where everyone is standing looking a tablet, clearly watching what happened with her and Ward.

"We've got to go through everything that was released. We need to find her." Natasha says to them before walking away, needing some time alone.

"Leave her Pepper." Clint says as Pepper has attempted to follower her, "She needs time, and I've got a feeling that we're going to need help." He says pulling out his phone, and walking down the corridor a bit, as he knows someone to call.

"We should get started." Skye says, "If Ward was worried then we need to find May." She says and the others nod and head to the office. Simmons planning on multitasking between trying to help Fitz and trying to find May.

* * *

After walking several steps away from the others Clint searches through his phone for the number he needs, when he finds it he presses call.

"Hey Cap, can you talk?" Clint asks when the other person answered after several rings. Clint having Steve's number because the crossed paths after DC and exchanged numbers.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Steve asks curious.

"Tasha needs you." Clint says simply.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Steve asks worried.

"Not really." Clint admits, "Her wife has been taken by Hydra and it's a possibility that she is being heled by someone who trained under Zola to be used as a test subject." Clint explains.

"Natasha's married?" Steve asks shocked.

"Right, you don't know that, sorry." Clint responds, "Yeah, she is." He answers, "She got married six years ago. Three and a half years ago a mission went wrong which affected her wife in a bad way." Clint explains, "Which resulted in their separation three years ago, but since DC they are giving it another shot." Clint explains, "Tasha's not going to admit it but she needs help Steve. If something happened to Mels, considering the fact that she is the one person that Natasha is completely honest and open with, I think it would destroy her." Clint explains.

"Do you know why Hydra took her?" Steve asks, trying to digest the information that Clint has just given him.

"No." Clint answers, "Not definitely. But she trained under Fury and is a legend in SHIELD so that could be why, or they could have just gotten lucky." Clint admits, "But now that they have her I have to assume that they're going to do the worse to her." He admits, not that he would tell Natasha that, though she most likely has already realised.

"I was a part of SHIELD for two years, why didn't I ever hear of her?" Steve asks surprised though he realises that given the fact that this person trained under Fury and Is Natasha Romanoff's wife, Clint's right about whatever Hydra having planed for her not being good.

"Did you ever hear of The Cavalry?" Clint asks curious as he is almost positive that Steve wouldn't have been able to spend the amount of time he did in SHIELD and not hear the rumours at least once.

"Of course, all the time." Steve answers.

"Then you've heard of her." Clint says, "Do you happen to remember if Natasha was ever with you when you heard the stories?" Clint asks curious.

"Yes." Steve answers thinking back, "She would always make some excuse to go and then I wouldn't see her for a while" he reveals.

"That's because to Natasha the name the Cavalry is just a reminded of the mission that destroyed the woman she loves and her marriage." Clint reveals, "You don't ever call Melinda the Cavalry." He reveals.

"I'll remember that." Steve responds.

"Look, I know you are doing your own thing and I get that, you have to do it. So I know I'm asking a lot but can you please come to New York." Clint requests, "Tasha isn't going to rest until she finds Mels and she could use all the help she can get." He tells his friend.

"Sam and I will be there tomorrow." Steve responds as he is having no luck tracking down Bucky and Natasha clearly needs his help.

"Thank you Captain." Clint responds before hanging up his phone and heading back to the others.

* * *

After leaving Ward's room Natasha heads straight to the gym where she needs to spend a couple of minutes by herself to let out what she is feeling. So not even bothering to wrap her hands when Natasha arrives at the gym she just starts to punch the bag, letting everything she is feeling out.

Natasha allows herself five minutes of beating the absolute crap out of the punching bag before pulling herself together and forcing herself to leave the room and go upstairs, with only one thought on her mind as she does, one goal that she will give everything too; Finding Melinda.

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

* * *

After leaving the Gym Natasha makes her way up to where she knows everyone else is. She arrives just in time to hear Tripp ask,

"How do we know for sure that Ward was telling the truth?"

"We don't." Natasha answers, though she is pretty sure that that he was, but she won't risk Melinda on 'pretty sure' "That's why we're not going to dedicate all our resources to his Intel." She says and she is quite glad that even though she is positive that everyone has noticed her hands they haven't commented, "Pepper, Coulson, Tripp I want you to look into the info you that was released online, see if you can find anything that supports what Ward said." She says and they nod, "Skye, Mel told me you were an expert at finding people who are keeping under the radar. I want you to do your thing and see what you can find."

"Of course." Skye answers.

"Maria, Clint, you two and me are also going to go through the information realised online but we're going to look for anything else that can give us a clue to where she is." She says and they both nod, "Stark, Bruce, Simmons keep working on ways to help Phil and Fitz." Natasha says and they nod.

"Tash." Maria says and it's the slight nervousness to her voice that causes Natasha to turn to look at her, "What about Lian? Are you going to call her?" She asks.

"Yeah, I have to." Natasha answers, knowing that she owes Lian that, "One of her contacts might be able to find a lead." Natasha tells her as she knows that Lian won't just sit back while her daughter is missing and she will do whatever it takes to get her back.

"Who's Lian?" Pepper asks curious.

"Mel's mom." Natasha answers, "And former deputy director of the CIA." Natasha revels to the shock of everyone but Maria, Coulson and Clint, "Get to work people." Natasha says before leaving the room, as she does she hears Tony ask,

"So, what, she gives the orders now?" he asks curious.

"When it's about Mel, you bet she does." Clint tells him.

"And we're going to follow them." Coulson adds.

* * *

Wanting to have her conversation with Lian in private Natasha heads to hers and Melinda's rooms. Once she is there she sits on the couch in the small living area they have and she pulls out her phone and calls Lian.

"Hello." Lian answers.

"Hey, it's Natasha."

"Natasha, how are you?" Lian's happy voice asks as while Lian scares most people, including Coulson, Clint and Fury, she is always nice to her and Melinda, even Maria, partly because she worked interagency missions with Peggy Carter and is very protective of female agents, and partly because even though it's by marriage she sees Natasha as another daughter and Maria almost like one, "Melinda was telling me that you two are giving you relationship another chance, I am so glad, I've been telling you both for years that you need to give it another shot" Lian tells Natasha.

"I know you have." Natasha responds, "But that's not why I'm calling." She reveals, and as she does she knows that Lian will pick up on the emotion in her voice and the fact that it is very tense.

"Natasha, what's happened?" Lian asks worried, "Are you and Melinda alright?"

"No." Natasha answers, "Melinda's been taken by a group of Hydra agents and a prisoner that I have interrogated has implied that she might have been taken to someone who was known as the brain of Hydra. Someone who trained under Hydra's chief scientists back in the day." Natasha informs her mother in law, not caring about classified because Lian's clearance is higher than hers, actually Natasha is pretty sure that Lian has one of the highest security clearances in the world.

"You are in New York, correct." Lian asks.

"Correct." Natasha confirms.

"I will reach out to my contacts if I find anything I will have one of the operatives I trust from the New York base bring you the information." Lian reveals.

"Okay." Natasha responds, not even questioning how Lian will know exactly where she is because she doesn't have to, "I'll do whatever it takes to find her. I won't give up." Natasha tells Lian.

"I know you won't my dear." Lian assures her, "And I won't either." Lian tells her daughter in law, "Natasha?" Lian asks after about a minute of silence.

"Yeah?" Natasha asks.

"She knows that you won't give up." Lian tells her, "I'll talk to you later. I have phone calls to make and favours to call in." she says

"Talk to you later." Natasha responds and once she has hung up with Lian she heads back to the other room to work with the others to find her wife.

* * *

For the hours that follow Natasha's conversation with Lian the group continue to try and find a way to find Melinda and help Coulson and Fitz. Except when Jemma checks on Fitz the whole group stays in the office/meeting area.

"Damn it." Skye suddenly says annoyed.

"Skye, what is it?" Natasha asks concerned.

"I was tracking the cars after leaving the airfield, trying to see where they ended up." Skye explains.

"Did you lose them?" Maria asks.

"No." Skye answers, "I know exactly where they ended up but five minutes after the three cars that were at the airfield arrived at the place those three cars and another six identical ones left. They drove together for about ten minutes then they went in completely different directions." Skye explains, "I can continue trying to track them, but it's going to take time to get some answers." She explains and all Natasha is able to do in response is nod.

"So far I haven't found anything that proves what Ward was saying." Coulson tells Natasha, "But I also haven't found anything that disproves it." He tells her.

"This is taking too long." Natasha comments looking at the clock and realising that Melinda has been missing for seven hours.

"There's no quicker way." Tony says, "At the moment the parameters are too many for Jarvis." He tells her, "We've got to narrow it down a bit manually before Jarvis can help."

"If there is any mention of a Hydra base or cell you right it down." Natasha says, "We can start there." She says and the others nod. Once Natasha turns back to her computer she pulls up the footage of Melinda begin taken because she hasn't watched it in its entirety yet.

"I'm coming Mel. I'll find you." Natasha says to the screen though her voice isn't loud enough for anyone else to hear.

* * *

When Melinda wakes up she has feels as if no time has passed that she is still mid fight, but in a second that thought disappears as she realise that she cannot move, and that's not because she is chained to a table, with a bandage on her right leg where she knew a bullet went through, wearing only boy shorts and a tank top.

"Good, you're awake." A voice says from the shadows where it is too dark for her to see a face.

"Who are you?" Melinda asks, trying to force her body to move.

"Don't try to move, you won't be able to." The voice says, "You have paralytics in your blood, they won't ware off for a while." The voice says moving through the shadows though making an effort not to show Melinda their face.

"What are you going to me?" Melinda ask, pretty sure that she doesn't want the answer but asking the question anyway.

"Break you." The man responds turning towards her for the first time, revealing that he is a man who looks to be about ten to fifteen years older than her, with eyes so cold that if she could Melinda thinks she might have actually shivered, "So we can rebuild you." He tells Melinda.

"You're going to have to kill me first." Melinda informs him.

"We'll see." The man responds and it is in that moment that Melinda learns that even though she is paralysed below the neck she can still feel pain. As two searing hot metal prods are placed against her legs Melinda wants to scream but she forces herself not to, she will not give him the satisfaction, not this soon, not ever if she has any say in the matter.

"You will give in Agent May." The man responds, "You will break and we will rebuild you to be the weapon you could have always been." The man tells her.

Not wanting to dignify him with a response Melinda just glares back and thinks about everything she knows about how to get paralytics out of her system as she is pretty sure that she and Natasha had a conversation on the topic once and it is those two thoughts, Natasha, and focusing on a way to help herself that allow Melinda to forget about the pain she is in.

* * *

After working all night and into the next day seeming like they are no closer to finding Melinda. When the twenty four hour mark arrives Natasha decides that she needs a moment to herself so she walks out to the balcony and stairs out at the city, trying to come up with an idea of a way to find Melinda.

She has been standing outside for about twenty minutes when she hears footsteps behind her.

"Natasha." Steve's voice says and Natasha turns around surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Natasha asks trying to wipe away the tears that are falling from her eyes before Steve can see them.

"Clint called, he said you needed me." Steve reveals, "And I'm thinking he is right." He comments, "Why didn't you tell me you were married?" Steve asks.

"Do you remember when I said I kept my true self hidden under layers of false selves?" Natasha asks and Steve nods, "Mel's the only person who knows that true me completely, sometimes I think she knows me better than I do." Natasha admits with a half laugh, "She sees through the lies, she always has." Natasha says remembering when she first met Melinda and she saw through her mask, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to get her back Steve, and nothing can stop me." Natasha tells her friend.

"I know, that's why I'm here." Steve tells her.

"To stop me?" She ask.

"To help you." He corrects.

"Thanks Rogers." Natasha responds and the pair head back inside.

"Hey Natasha." Sam says when he sees her.

"I owe you a thankyou." Natasha tells him.

"What for?" Sam asks confused.

"It was thanks to advice you gave her than encouraged Mel to tell me what tore us apart three years ago." Natasha tells him and Sam just looks confused, "My wife is Melinda May, she went to one of your meetings at the VA." Natasha explains.

"I remember her." Sam comments, "She didn't want to talk about what happened to her but I could tell it was bad, she had that look." He explains, "She said that she destroyed the thing that mattered most to her, I'm guessing that was your marriage." Sam says to Natasha who nods, "I'm glad." He says simply and along with Steve they head back to the meeting room.

* * *

"We've got the names of ten potential locations." Clint says about two hours after Sam and Steve arrive, twenty six hours after Melinda went missing.

"Give them to Jarvis." Natasha says, "Jarvis find me everything you can get." She says.

"Yes Ma'am." Jarvis responds.

"While Jarvis is doing that you're coming with us." Maria says walking over to her with Pepper.

"What? Why?" Natasha asks confused.

"No, arguments, you're coming." Pepper says working with Maria to pull Natasha out of the room, something that Natasha could have easily stoped if she wanted to.

"Um? What?" Steve asks confused.

"Tasha hasn't eaten since Mels was taken." Clint explains.

"Pepper and Maria are going to make sure she does." Coulson explains.

"What are you writing?" Steve asks looking at the piece of paper, that Coulson is writing on as it doesn't make any sense to him.

"Clint…is that?" Coulson asks worried, looking at it.

"The same thing you've been carving on the walls?" Clint asks, "Yeah." He says and everyone exchanges a worried look.

"What's going on?" Steve asks worried, "What is it?"

"That Captain is one of the side effects of the drugs that Fury used, even though I told him not to, to bring me back to life." Coulson explains.

"Oh." Steve says and he gets why everyone is so worried.

* * *

As the hours pass Melinda realises that she can deal with the various, inventive, torture methods the mystery man is using to 'break her.' The one thing that is getting harder to deal with is being paralysed, not being able to fight back. More than once she has thought that the parasitic is starting to wear of but before she has a chance to do anything she is administered another dose.

"I'm here to give you a choice." The mystery man says, walking out of the shadows as he does.

As Melinda learnt after the first couple of hours that it doesn't matter if she says anything she doesn't, she just watches him trying to pick on anything that could be a weakness.

"You can eat and agree to join me, though you will remain paralysed so don't get any ideas." He says, "Or we move onto more painful ways of persuasion." He tells Melinda.

"You already know my choice." Melinda responds, knowing that she would never trust anything he gives her and that any injury he causes he will eventually treat because he wants her alive.

"Sadly, I do." He says pulling out a gun and shooting it at her left knee.

As soon as she saw the gun Melinda started to prepare herself for the pain, knowing that wherever he is going to shot, it is going to hurt. Knowing that there is one thing, one person, that has made any pain she has experienced since she woke up go away Melinda starts to recite some of her favourite memories of her time with Natasha over in her head, and while it does hurt it doesn't hurt as much as she can practically hear Natasha's laugh, her real, true laugh, the laugh that once would make her laugh every time she heard it.

* * *

"Maria, Pepper, stop." Natasha says seeing what they are doing, "I need to keep working. I need to find Melinda." Natasha tells her friends.

"You also need to eat." Pepper tells her, "You no use to Melinda if you collapse due to hunger when we find her." She tells her friend.

"I don't have time to eat." Natasha says and she looks at Maria, "She's been gone over twenty for hours, you know what that means." She says to her friend.

"I do." Maria confirms, "Which is why it is so important that you eat." She tells her friend as she leads her to the table to sit down while Pepper heads over to the kitchen area, "Phil and Clint, Steve, Sam, Tripp, Skye, they are still looking and they will come and get us if they find a lead." Maria tells her friend, "Just take some time Tash, you need to." Maria tells her.

"Ten minutes." Natasha tells her friend as she is pretty sure that working together Maria and Pepper could out stubborn her if they wanted to.

"Twenty." Maria and Pepper say together, "And that's nonnegotiable." She informs Natasha.

"Not a second more." Natasha responds and Pepper starts to cook.

* * *

Thirteen minutes later Natasha, Maria and Pepper are eating the homemade Pizza that Pepper made. Pepper being thankful that because Tony only buys the best they have a pizza maker that makes Pizza in minutes.

As neither of them can think of the right thing to say Pepper and Maria just exchange looks as they eat. Wanting to help their friend but at the same time they don't know what they can do to help her right now.

Natasha is almost finished with her share of the Pizza when her phone starts to ring.

"Hello." Natasha answers.

"Natasha, I contact of mine will arrive at your location within the next fifteen minutes." Lian informs Natasha, "With him he will have details on ever Hydra base and Cell that the CIA has." She reveals, "Their locations and which have been dealt with and which CIA and FBI are still waiting on authorisation to hit." Lian informs her.

"Thank you." Natasha says sincerely, knowing that if they cross reference Lian's information with there's then they can narrow the list of places that Melinda could be.

"Neither the CIA or the FBI have been given authorization because of it being considering too risky. Though I take it that that won't be a problem for you and your people." Lian says.

"No, it won't." Natasha responds.

"Good." Lian responds, "I will liaise with Ms Potts to prevent any backlash for your actions. Tell her I'll be in contact"

"Thanks, and I will." Natasha responds as she hasn't even thought about how none of what they are doing, or will do, is official.

"Just get my daughter back Natasha, I'll handle everything else." Lian tells her.

"I will." Natasha says, as that is the only outcome she will accept, she won't accept failure on this one, "We'll talk later." Natasha says before hanging up.

"Has Lian found something?" Maria asks interested.

"Yeah, a list of all the Hydra cells and bases that the CIA know about." Natasha reveals, "Some of them haven't been hit yet because it is considered too risky." Natasha reveals, "She's sending her contact over with the list." Natasha reveals, "She's also going to liaise with you to handle damage control." She says looking at Pepper, "She said she'll be in contact."

"I don't ask how she knows how to contact me do I?" Pepper asks.

"No." Maria answers as Natasha shakes her head, "I'll be downstairs." She says getting up and leaving Pepper and Maria.

* * *

For over ten minutes Natasha waits and, almost starts pacing until she hears someone say that he is here to give documents to Lian May's daughter.

"I'll take them." Natasha says walking over to the agent who as soon as he sees her he nods and hands them over as he does Natasha realises that Lian must have given him her description.

* * *

"Jarvis, I'm scanning in documents, cross reference the bases we know about to the ones that the CIA have destroyed and the ones they know about." Natasha says, "Let me know about any overlap." She says.

"Yes Ma'am." Jarvis responds as Natasha starts to scan in the documents.

"Lian's intel?" Clint asks.

"Yeah." Natasha responds and for several minutes the only sounds that are heard are that of typing.

"The CIA list indicates that seven out of the ten bases have been destroyed." Jarvis says, "The CIA has an operation currently in process on base number eight and base nine shorty. There are currently no plans for action planned against base ten." Jarvis informs Natasha.

"Then that's where we hit." Clint says and Natasha nods.

"Get me everything you can on base ten." Natasha requests, "Skye have you managed to track the cars?" She asks.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it." Skye responds.

"Natasha I think I have an idea of who, if Ward was telling us the truth, might have Melinda." Coulson says to his friend.

"Who?" Natasha asks interested.

"Felix Krause." Coulson answers, "He was recruited to SHIELD as a teenager worked in the scientist and technology division under Zola." Coulson says reading the documents, "He disappeared after Zola's death." He explains looking at Natasha, "It was thought that because Zola was like a father to him that doing the work that they did together alone was too painful for him, he hasn't been seen in over forty years." Coulson explains.

"It would make sense." Maria comments, "He could he disappeared to serve Hydra from outside SHIELD." She comments.

"That's if we choose to believe Ward, which I'm not so sure we should." Tripp comments.

"Agent Romanoff, I have finishing my searches on finding everything for base ten." Jarvis says

"What have you got?" Natasha asks and Jarvis says and he informs that it is an old secluded SHIELD instillation in a forest in Colorado and that it is a simple layout and is producing heat signatures of several people, one of whom seems to be laying down unmoving.

"Tripp we're going to need your Grandad's Howling Commando gear." Natasha says and Steve who chose that moment to take a drink of water almost chokes.

"Yes Ma'am." Tripp responds.

"You're Grandfather?" Steve asks in shock as he coughs.

"Gabe Jones." Tripp answers, "And my Grandmother is Peggy Carter- Jones." He revels, "I've wanted to meet you my whole life Sir." He informs Steve.

"I see them in you." Steve responds after really looking at Tripp and as he does he wonders why he didn't pick up on it right away as he can see both Gabe and Peggy in Tripp's features.

"So we're going to Colorado?" Clint asks.

"It's our one lead, we have to run it down." Natasha says, "Skye, Pepper I want you both to stay behind and continue to run down everything." Natasha tells them, "If I'm wrong about this then we're back at step one and we can't afford that." She says leaving off the 'Mel can't afford that' that she is thinking.

"Got it." Skye says and Pepper nods.

"I'll stay and keep looking on ways to help Fitz and Phil." Bruce says, "Both of you should go in case May needs medical attention." Bruce says looking at Simmons and Tony.

Tony nods in agreement while Simmons on the other hand looks more hesitant as she doesn't want to leave Fitz, something which Tripp picks up on.

"I have medtec training I'll be able to help her." He tells Natasha, "Simmons should stay behind to help Coulson and Fitz." He suggests.

"Okay." Natasha says sounding hesitant, as she turns to look at Coulson.

"Don't even say it." Coulson tells her.

"Phil…" Natasha begins to say but Coulson cuts her off.

"I get that you're worried about me Tasha, I do, but I'm more worried about her. She may be your wife, but she's my family and I'm not just going to sit by while god knows what is happening to her, I won't." Coulson tells his friend, "I'm coming and you're not going to stop me." He says knowing that he owes it to Melinda to do whatever it takes to bring her back.

For several seconds Natasha and Coulson stare at each other until Natasha's expression soften as she remembers that Coulson loves Melinda just as much as she does, just in a different way, and like her he will do whatever it takes to get her back.

"We leave in ten." Natasha says.

"Um, how are we getting to Colorado?" Sam asks curious.

"Our plane." Coulson says standing up, "I'm guessing you're going to pilot it." He says to Natasha.

"Mel may actually kill me if I let anyone else pilot her plane." Natasha comments before she can stop herself because the joke just seems so natural, "Ten minutes people." She says before leaving the room.

* * *

Ten minutes later the group excluding those who are staying behind at the Tower are in the Garage. Everyone wearing tactical gear, Tripp holding the suitcase of his grandfather's stuff because everyone decided that they weren't going to leave it un attended on the plane, and Maria Clint and Tony are loading weapons into the cars.

"Let's go." Natasha says arriving in the garage wearing the cat suit that Melinda lent her. Seeing Natasha the others nod and get in the cars, Tony, Maria and Clint being the last ones to as they are still loading weapons. As they all get into the cars they are all wondering the same thing, whether they will find Melinda and if they do what shape she will be in.

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:**  Thank you so much for the support you have been giving me.

* * *

Ever since the others left Avengers Tower Half an hour ago Skye and Pepper have been working on finding other locations where May could be and Simmons and Bruce have been working on trying to find something to help Coulson and Fitz.

"Skye can you think of any reason why your biology would be different from Coulson's?" Bruce asks curious.

"Skye what is it?" Simmons asks concerned as she noticed right away that as soon as Bruce asked her his question he made an effort to look at anything but him and got an expression on her face which displayed what she wanted to do the most, run.

"I'm an 0-8-4." Skye answers, her voice barely loud enough to be heard.

"How long have you known?" Simmons asks, her voice not judgemental, just curious and a hint of concern.

"May and Coulson found out when we visited the Academy." Skye explains, "Coulson told me then." She says then looking at directly at Simmons she says, "I don't know what I am." She tells her friend.

"Oh Skye." Simmons says and she gives her a hug, "You're Skye. You're my friend. You're an Agent. You're a good person. The rest doesn't matter." She tells her.

"Um, what's an 0-8-4?" Pepper asks curious not wanting interrupt the moment going on between the two young women but being curious.

"An object of unknown origin." Skye explains, "A S.H.I.E.L.D team and an entire village was killed protecting me when I was a baby." She reveals, "I don't know what I am, or where I come from." She explains, "Do you think that that is why I had a different reaction to Coulson?" Skye asks looking at Bruce.

"I think it might be." Bruce admits, "Do you mind if I take another blood sample?" He asks curious, "I might be able to get you some answers and find a way to help Coulson." He says stressing the 'might'

"Go for it." Skye responds, prepared to do whatever it takes to get Coulson answers, not even allowing herself to think that he might get her some answers.

* * *

Even though it has been a while since she has flown a plane the size of the bus Natasha is able to get it in the air without a problem and as she flies she starts to understand while Melinda likes the solitude of the cockpit.

As she hears the door open Natasha doesn't even turn to look at who it is because she has a pretty good idea of who it is.

"Phil said to give these to you, he said you're probably going to need them." Clint says handing Natasha a pair of aviation sunglasses.

"I'm fine." Natasha responds.

"Is that why you are squinting?" Clint asks curious and Natasha just ignores him, "Mel would be more pissed at you for damaging her plane that she will be at you for using her stuff without asking." Clint tells her putting the sunglasses in Natasha's hand, "Even if they are her ridiculously expensive sunglasses." He adds.

"See was that so hard?" Clint asks as Natasha puts on the sunglasses but all he gets in response is a glare, or what he assumes is a glare underneath the sunglasses, "What's our ETA?" he asks curious.

"Two and a half hours, maybe less." Natasha answers.

"Where are we landing?" Clint asks.

"A clearing about half a mile away." Natasha tells him, "I could use you help with that." She admits as she isn't completely confident in her landing abilities of a plane this side considering how long it has been since she has landed one.

"You've got it." Clint responds, "Are we going in by car or on foot?" Clint asks curious as they have two SUV's in the Cargo bay so they could go in by car if they wanted to.

"Foot." Natasha answers, "The terrain is too difficult to try and navigate by car." She says.

"Are we sending Stark ahead to tell us what kind of guard's we're dealing with?" Clint asks curious.

"That was the plan." Natasha responds and Clint nods.

* * *

After the mystery man shot her in the leg Melinda can feel herself getting weaker until, even with her fighting against it, Melinda loses consciousness.

When she wakes up having no idea how much time has passed Melinda looks down and realises that mystery man has treated her knee, or more specifically done the least amount of medical treatment to make sure she won't die. That isn't a surprise. What is a surprise is that Melinda finds herself able to move.

Being thankful that getting out of basically all possible restraints is something that she has had mastered since the late eighties Melinda gets her hands out in seconds, then sits up before undoing her feet and carefully swinging her legs over the side of the table that she was cuffed to. Knowing that it is going to hurt a lot and that there is a pretty decent chance that she won't be able to walk at all Melinda slowly lowers herself down so that she is standing, and just like she was expecting the task is painful and rather difficult and she has to hold on to the table for several seconds to get her balance.

Because she knows that she doesn't have time to focus on how much pain she is in or how difficult it is to stand Melinda makes her way across the room as quickly as possible, a task which is almost impossible, only stopping to grab a piece of the wire that the mystery man was using to torture her, before she heads to the door. As due to the fact that she has spent at least fifteen hours by her calculations laying chained to the table she has spent a lot of time observing things and she knows that there is only one way in our out. Which she isn't surprised about because Hydra is too smart to put her in a room with more than one way in or out.

Just like she expected when Melinda reaches the door she finds it locked but using the piece of wire, which is stained with her own blood, Melinda is able to pick it open.

Once she hear the click which tells her that the door is open Melinda opens it a fraction to have a look around. She sees that there are three agents sitting on a couch. Another two right by the door and even though she can't see them she has to assume that there are others at every possible exit.

Once she has assessed her surrounding Melinda closes the door.

"Okay, plan." She says to herself and as she does she realises that she has two options, stealth, try to sneak past them without being seen and engage if needed or brute force. For a few seconds Melinda thinks about her option and she realises that with her legs being how they are stealth is the option with a higher chance of success, so opening the door the smallest amount she squeezes out of the room. Once she is out of the room she heads straight to a large cabinet to use as cover to see if any of them noticed the door open.

Melinda stays hidden behind the cabinet for several seconds, watching the agents who seem to give no indication that they have seen her, which is a surprise considering Melinda knows that she didn't move as quietly as she could normally have, and for a second Melinda thinks it's a good thing until she remembers something Natasha once told her, that;

" _People who try hard not to see you usually means they have a plan. If you're trying to sneak past people and you think you made noise and nobody noticed you then they were probably ordered not to."_

Even though she is pretty sure that it is exactly what they want her to do Melinda silently makes her way across the room. The final place she stops for cover is behind a kitchen bench as she knows that she is going to have to take out at the very least the door guards if she wants a shot at freedom.

So having no choice Melinda decides to switch to brute force and attacks both the guards at once and despite the pain in her legs, and several other places on her body, she manages to take them both down to get out of the door.

"Huh, you woke quicker than I was expecting." The Mystery man says, from a couch near the door, and before she has a chance to attack him Melinda is hit by ICER's from two different directions.

* * *

Even though he knows that Natasha would have preferred to be alone, after checking on Coulson, Clint returns to the cockpit to sit with his best friend. Not saying anything just being there In case she wants to.

The two and a half hours after Clint first came to check on her passes to slow for Natasha's liking. Even though she is trying not to Natasha can't help but think about what could have happened to Melinda in the last day, and nothing that she can come up with is good.

"Prep for landing." Natasha says to Clint and he starts to do everything that has to be done.

"Have you ever done a vertical landing?" Clint asks his partner curious.

"In a plane this size?" Natasha asks and Clint nods, "Not since you taught me to." She responds.

"Great." Clint says sarcastically, "Switch flight controls to me." He says.

"No, I can do it." Natasha responds.

"Are you sure about that?" Clint asks disbelieving, though he knows he shouldn't be.

"Positive." Natasha responds and just like she said she could Natasha lands the plane perfectly, "See." She tells her friend.

"I'm sorry, I should never have doubted you." Clint says as they stand up.

"You really shouldn't." Natasha says as they head down to the cargo bay where everyone planed on meeting.

When they get down to the cargo bay they find everyone, except for Tony who is in an Iron Man suit he built since DC, checking weapons. When Natasha and Clint get down there Maria hands Natasha weapons that consist of an ICER and extra rounds plus a regular pistol and rounds and Coulson hands Clint his bow and quiver.

"Stark, fly a head tell us what we are looking at, the rest of us won't be far behind." Natasha says to Tony who nods, puts on his face piece and flies out of the cargo bay.

"Let's go." Natasha says and Coulson, Clint, Maria, Steve, Sam and Tripp nod and follow her.

* * *

The group have been walking for about five minutes when Tony lands next to Natasha, who is in front, and removes his face guard.

"What have we got?" Natasha asks.

"Twelve Hydra agents, heavily armed, surrounding the building." Tony reveals, "I couldn't get a good look inside the building so I have no idea how many people are inside." He informs her.

"Okay, Sam, Steve, Clint, Tripp, take the back." Natasha says and they nod.

"Follow me." Steve says and he leads them around.

"We take the front." Natasha says to Coulson, Maria and Tony.

"Natasha, on your mark." Steve's voice says though the coms that Tony was nice enough to lend them.

"Tripp has your grandad got anything that can tell us what we're looking at?" Natasha asks.

"Yep, give me a sec." Tripp responds, "There is six different heat signatures inside, one is laying down." He reveals.

"Okay, let's do this people. In three, two, one, go." Natasha says and as soon as she said one ever member fires at one of the agents. Natasha, Maria, Tripp and Sam use an ICER, Tony uses a stun device his suit has, Steve uses his SHIELD and Clint uses an arrow.

As soon as they hear their friends go down the other agents come from there various positions and all of them get taken down too.

"All hostiles are down, move in." Natasha says through the coms, "Be prepared for hostiles, focus is finding Mel." Natasha says.

"You really have been spending a lot of time with Rogers." Maria tells her friend, "You're starting to sound like him." She informs her and Natasha just rolls her eyes.

Together the group enter the building but to their shock they don't find anything instead they see manikins that are plugged in and clearly meant to trick in infrared thinking they are people.

"No." Natasha says, pain clear, a fact that shocks everyone else as she as realises that this was just a decoy. That Melinda isn't, and likely was never here, that they have no idea where she is, that they are back at square one.

"Spread out and search the place." Steve says, taking over for Natasha for a second, realising that that is what she needs, "Let's see if we can find a clue." He orders and the others nod.

"Tash, we'll find her." Coulson says to his friend when they are the only ones left in the room.

"I know." Natasha says as she doesn't doubt that they will find Melinda, "Whether we will in time is what I'm doubting." She tells her friend.

"Don't think like that." Coulson tells her, "You can't, not now." He tells her.

"I can't not, Phil." Natasha says before walking away from him wanting to see if any of the outside guards are still conscious so that she can have a conversation with them.

* * *

"This is ridiculous." Skye says annoyed.

"What's going on?" Pepper asks interested.

"The cars just keep multiplying." Skye says looking up at Pepper, them being the only ones currently in the meeting room as Simmons and Bruce are down in the lab running tests on her blood, "And it's clearly a diversion but it doesn't make any sense." Skye tells Pepper frustrated, "Because if you assume that one of those cars had May in them then they would have to get her to the location and….." Skye starts to say but she trails off at the end because she realises something.

"Skye, what is it?" Pepper asks concerned.

"I'm such an idiot." Skye says as she hurriedly types on her laptop, "Whoever has May wouldn't want to waste time by having her drive around the city they would want her to get them as soon as possible." Skye explains, "She probably wasn't even in one of those cars that left the first place." She says.

"So you think she is at that first place?" Pepper asks.

"No, Hydra's too smart for that." Skye tells Pepper, "There was always a chance that we would check there for clues." She explains, "Gotcha." Skye suddenly says.

"What?" Pepper says coming over to Skye to have a look.

"An hour after the six identical cars left, look." Skye says to Pepper.

"Three cars." Pepper says as she watches the screen.

"My guess would be the three original cars." Skye tells her, "Quite smart if you think about it. Send out a ton of decoys and while they are being tracked, because they knew we would, sneak away." Skye comments, "Let's see if that gets us a better result."

"I'll contact Natasha." Pepper says.

"No." Skye says, to Pepper's surprise, "Not until we're sure. I don't want to give Natasha hope if I'm just going to take it away again." Skye tells Pepper, who nods understanding that, and she starts to track the three new cars.

* * *

After having a conversation with the one Hydra member who unconscious but who cannot move thanks to Clint's arrow Natasha discovers that guards were just ordered to stay there and that they didn't know that there they were a decoy and would be attacked.

"There's nothing here." Clint informs Natasha as she walks back inside.

"I'm not surprised." Natasha says, "The guys outside said that they didn't even know what this place was, just they were to stand outside." She explains.

"Do you believe them?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, they're not well trained. My guess is that they are low level people who are seen as expendable." Natasha explains.

"What do we do?" Tripp asks.

"Go back to the plane, see if Skye and Pepper have found anything." Natasha responds, honestly not sure what else she could do at the moment, and hating that feeling.

"I meant about the guards." Tripp tells her.

"Oh." Natasha responds, "I'll call Lian, she can arrange for the CIA to handle this." She explains and Tripp nods. "Let's go back to the plane." She says and the others nod, but this time instead of walking at the front of the group she is walking last so that she can call Lian.

"Have you found her?" Lian's voice asks without a hallo.

"No." Natasha admits, realising that she is letting down not just Melinda but Lian as well, "We thought we found the location that she was being kept at but it's just a decoy." Natasha explains, "We're on our way back to the plane to check in with the rest of our team back in New York, see if they know anything." Natasha explains.

"Do you need a clean up team?" Lian asks and Natasha is positive that if it was anyone who didn't know Lian quite well then you wouldn't have been able to pick up on the worry and pain in her voice.

"Yeah." Natasha answers, "I'll text you the coordinates." She responds.

"I'll make sure that you and you're people are well gone when you send me the message." Lian tells her daughter in law.

"I will." Natasha assures.

"Be careful Natasha." Lian says leaving of the 'I don't want anything to happen to you as well' that they are both know she is thinking.

"I will." Natasha responds once more before hanging up.

* * *

When the team arrive back at the bus they find a video call coming in which Natasha answers.

"We found her." Skye says the second she comes up on screen.

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for the support you have given me for this story.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Natasha asks, allowing herself to hope.

"I'm sending though the footage now." Skye says and a minute later an email arrives which the group plays. The video reveals a woman who could be Melinda being pulled out of a black car and taken into what looks like a cabin in the woods.

"How do you know that it is Mel?" Natasha asks as while the general shape does look like Melinda the video is clear enough to be sure.

"Because I tracked it from the first location the cars ended up at." Skye tells Natasha, "She wasn't in one of the six decoy cars there were another three that left an hour after those six." Skye explains, "Plus because I knew that we needed to be sure I hacked into a NSA spy satellite, where the zoom is so much better, and go this." Skye explains putting up a zoomed in image of the woman, who is clearly Melinda.

"How long ago was this?" Maria asks as Natasha is just staring at the image.

"Around Twenty Two hours." Skye answers, "Seven after she was taken." Skye explains.

"Has there been any sign of her since then?" Clint asks.

"So far no." Skye answers, "But I'm still running through the footage." She informs the group.

"Skye, look." Pepper's voice says.

"Hang on a second that could be about to change." Skye says suddenly sliding out of view for a second and sliding back with a laptop and Pepper walks into the shot.

"Skye what is it?" Natasha asks looking away from the image of Melinda.

"We might have something more." Skye tells her, "I'm just zooming and rewinding." Skye reveals then as she and Pepper watch whatever it is that they are watching they both get looks of horror on their faces, "Oh god, what did they do to her?" Skye asks.

"Skye, talk to me, what is going on?" Natasha asks, displaying something she never lets show, fear.

"Um, we've got more footage of May." Skye says looking up from her laptop to look at them through the video feed, pain and concern clear on her face.

"Send It through." Natasha requests.

"I'm, um, I don't know if that's a good idea." Skye responds nervously.

"Send it." Natasha says sternly.

"Skye's right Natasha." Pepper tells her friend, "I don't think you should see this." Pepper tells her wanting to save Natasha the pain of seeing Melinda in the state she is in.

"You thinking I shouldn't see it is exactly why I need to see it." Natasha says a slight hitch to her voice, "Send it." She request, the tinniest bit of visible pleading in her voice.

"It will take a couple of minutes." Skye says as she sends through the footage, "There it's sent." She says three minutes later.

The segment of footage that Skye sends through is off the front of the 'cabin' the veranda. The door to the cabin bursts open and Melinda comes out but when she is on screen everyone is shocked. Melinda has a bandage on her right thigh and on her left knee, burns over her legs and arms, various other wounds, she has no shoes and is only wearing boy shorts and a tank top. They watch as Melinda turns to look at what a man who is sitting on a couch near the door and he raises a gun and fires. Causing Melinda to go down. Once she is down the man who shot her walks over and injects something into her neck, and it's in that moment that everyone realises that it was an ICER, and they watch as Melinda is dragged back into the cabin by the mystery man and one of the Hydra agents.

"How long ago was this?" Steve asks being the first one able to speak as Natasha feels someone, who she knows is Clint, reach out and grab her hand in comfort, but she pulls away, not accepting the comfort he is trying to give.

"Fifty nine minutes." Skye answers.

"Where?" Tony asks.

"Near the Canadian Border, around five and a half hours away from here by car, I'm sending you the exact coordinates." Skye responds.

"Clint, Tripp, get us in the air, I need…." Natasha says trailing off at the end and walking fast to Melinda's bunk, not wanting to fall apart in front of the others.

The others watch as Natasha goes to Melinda's bunk and slam the door, all of them with varying looks of shock and sympathy on their faces.

"You heard Agent Romanoff, go." Coulson instructs.

"Yes Sir." Both Clint and Tripp say and they head to the cockpit.

"Wow." Tony says shocked, "I never thought…" He says trailing off not sure what to say as he has never seen Natasha show real feelings like that.

"To do what she does Tash needs hides her emotions, her real feelings on things but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel them." Maria tells the group.

"What do we do?" Steve asks concerned, wanting to help his friend.

"Give her space." Coulson answers, "Considering she pulled away when Clint tried to comfort her I don't know if any of us could help her, if she would let us." He reveals, "Skye? Pepper? Are you still there?" Coulson ask.

"Yeah." They both answers.

"Get us everything you've got on that location." Coulson says and they both nod.

"And how long did it take you to hack the NSA?" Tony asks interested.

"Not long." Skye responds before ending the video call.

* * *

Once she is in the safety, the solitude, of Melinda's bunk Natasha allows herself to cry as she sits down on the bed. Terrified about what exactly has happened to Melinda and how much worse she will be when they find her, or whether it will be too late. Even though she knows that it useless Natasha repeats, "I'm coming Mel, just hold on, please hold on." A few times and makes a promise to both herself and Melinda that she will make the people holding her pay.

(Line break)

When Melinda wakes for the first time after her escape attempt she once more finds herself cuffed to the table and unable to move.

"I allowed you to leave this room just so you knew how futile escape is." The mystery man responds, "You are not going to escape and you will break." He informs her.

"I will escape, and you will never break me." Melinda tells the man, complete determination in her voice.

"You say that now." The Mystery Man says walking towards her with a briefcase.

"No, I mean that." Melinda tells him, "There is nothing you can do to break me." She tells him.

"We'll see." The Mystery man says and he opens the briefcase and reveals an IV bag, "This is a creation of mine." He reveals, holding up the bag, "Each bag lasts six hours and for that six hours you will feel the most intense pain you have ever felt, you will be begging for relief." He reveals, "Let's see if you're still so confident of my inability to break you after a couple of these, shall we?" He says and he hangs the IV bag on a poll near Melinda's head that wasn't their earlier and inserting the other end to her arm.

For a few minutes Melinda feels nothing and then it feels like entire inside of her body is on fire and there is nothing she can do to stop it.

Even though she truly wants to Melinda doesn't let herself scream or show how much whatever the Mystery Man put into her is hurting her and even the remembering good times with Natasha doesn't help distract her from the pain as much as it did and as she spots him out of the corner of her eye she is positive that the Mystery Man is smirking, that he is enjoying her pain.

* * *

Once they are in the air and Clint is sure that Tripp can handle thing Clint leaves the cockpit and goes back to the main part of the plane where he finds, Tony, Sam, Steve, Maria and Coulson, all of them shooting looks at Melinda's bunk where Natasha still is.

"Have one of you tried going in there?" Clint asks the five.

"We weren't sure if that was a good idea." Sam admits.

"We were giving her time." Maria admits, "I thought she could some time alone." She tells her friend.

"And she's had some." Clint says, "I think it's time to change that." He comments and he heads to the bunk, both Coulson and Maria right behind him.

"Do we follow?" Sam asks interested and Steve shrugs confused.

"No, I think we should leave it to them." Tony tells them.

* * *

When Clint, Coulson and Maria enter Melinda's bunk they find Natasha sitting on the bed cross legged.

Maria walks over and sits on one side of her, Clint sits down on the other and Coulson sits down on the edge of the bed.

"We're here for you Tasha." Maria tells her friend and the four of them drift into silence none of them needing to say anymore.

* * *

"I'm going to take the footage down to Simmons and Bruce, see if they can tell what May's injuries are." Skye says to Pepper once she has sent through all the information that she currently has to the bus and while Jarvis is searching for more.

"Good idea, I'll come." Pepper says and the pair head downstairs.

* * *

"Can we come in?" Skye asks as she and Pepper reach the labs but neither of them entre as they don't know what exactly Simmons and Bruce are working on.

"Sure." Bruce responds.

"What' going on?" Simmons asks curious.

"We've got footage of May." Skye explains, "She's not where Natasha and the others are but at a different place that they're on their way to and I was wondering if you guys would be able to tell how bad she is hurt from the video." Skye explains.

"Maybe, it just depends." Bruce answers and Skye puts her laptop on the desk, and presses play.

"No." Simmons says and like Skye she looks completely shocked and a look of pain is all too clear on her face. Wanting to help her friend Skye reaches over and grabs her hand.

"Has Natasha seen this?" Bruce asks concerned.

"She insisted we send it over." Pepper answers, "What do you think?" she asks Bruce.

"It's bad." Bruce answers, "But what concerns me the most are the wounds underneath the bandages." He reveals, "As they must be pretty serious for whoever is holding her to actually provide her with medical care." He admits.

"Plus it most likely would have made things worse walking on them." Simmons adds, "They needs to find May as soon as possible." She says and everyone becomes more worried, and Simmons realises that there is a tear in her eye, "Skye?" Simmons asks worried.

"I should have fought." Skye says, "I shouldn't have hid. They took her because she was fighting alone, it's all my fault." She admits.

"No, it's not." Simmons tells her friend letting her hand go and hugging her tightly, "If you would have fought we could have had to try and find both of you." Simmons tells her friend, "You and I have spent enough time around May to know that she wouldn't want you to blame yourself." Simmons tells her, "You followed her orders, that's what you were supposed to do." Simmons tells her friend.

"I wish the people we cared about would stop getting hurt." Skye says to Simmons in a whisper.

"So do I." Simmons responds as they continue to hug, neither of them wanting to break it.

* * *

Even though she has tried to count how long the Mystery Man's drugs have been going into her Melinda found it impossible to keep track after the first hour as she realised if she wanted to stop herself from screaming she has to dedicate everything she has to that. She is positive that there is quite a lot of blood inside her mouth from bitting her lip and tears are rolling down her face due to the extreme pain, but she will not let out a scream, she won't let him win.

* * *

Even though she cannot keep count anymore another few hours pass and with every minute it becomes harder and harder for Melinda to keep her screams in. As she lays on the table, un able to move, the taste of her own blood in her mouth Melinda can say with certainty that she has never been in this much pain before and that she would like nothing more than for it to end, but because she knows that that is exactly what the mystery man wants her to think she doesn't let herself dwell on those thoughts she just continues to try and distract herself with the best method she has; Thinking of Natasha

"It is useless to continue to fight me Agent May." The mystery man says walking back into the room, "It has been four hours and I can see that you are begging for relief" He tells her, "So if you say the word I will remove the drugs and begin the process for making you into my new weapon." He tells her as after The Winter Solider and Deathlok he learnt that breaking the person first before making them a weapon is a better idea because then there is less chance of defiance later on.

"Never." Melinda tells him, "I told you, you're going to have to kill me." She says and it takes more strength than she thought she had to get that out without screaming.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you." The Mystery man says running their back of his hand against Melinda's face, "I am going to keep you alive until you beg me be to free you, to make you into something that doesn't feel just to get rid of the pain. You will be my greatest achievement." He tells Melinda.

"Never." Melinda tells him.

"Oh, you say that now." The mystery man says and he once more opens his briefcase and pulls out another IV bag, "Let's see how you handle two." He says and he inserts an needle into Melinda's other arm, hangs the bag up on the pole and positions the tubing right before connecting it all up.

If Melinda thought the pain was bad before it is nothing compared to the pain that she experience when the second dose of drugs go through her body simultaneously. The pain is multiplied by a hundred and she is positive that she isn't going to be able to handle much of this. The pain is so server that she can't even make herself think of Natasha and she finally lets out a scream and once she starts she can't stop.

* * *

Three and a half hours after Coulson, Clint and Maria came to sit with Natasha in Melinda's bunk Tripp lands the plane at a clearing as close to the 'cabin' that they can get, which is about a mile away and once more they are going by foot.

"Do you want me to go scout first?" Tony asks.

"No." Steve answers, "we landed too close they are likely expecting us." He says, "We should attack together." He says and Tony nods and together the group leave the plane and walk at a rather fast pace in the direction where the cabin is. They have been walking for several minutes when the group hears screams of absolute agony, which Natasha knows with certainty belongs to her wife, and without thinking she starts to run towards the screams, but she finds herself unable to because Steve has grabbed hold of her.

"Let me go Steve." Natasha tells her friend, fighting against him.

"No, listen to me." Steve says turning her around so that she is facing him but, not even for a second, does he let her go, "You can't just run in there forgetting everything else." Steve tells her saying things that he never thought he would have to tell Natasha Romanoff, "That won't do either of you any good. You've got to be smart, tactical." He tells her and Natasha nods knowing that he is right.

"Tony, Clint, Sam, Tripp, take the back." Natasha says, "We'll take the front." She says and the all nod and Steve lets go of Natasha, though he is watching her closely.

A few minutes later during which Melinda's screams never stopped for a second everyone is in position,

"Now." Natasha says and everyone fires. Natasha herself having switched from an ICER to a pistol once Steve let her go.

* * *

As soon as the guards out the back are taken down Clint rushes in only fighting if he absolutely has to and leaving the rest to Sam, Tripp and Tony, having only one goal in mind; getting to Melinda and stoping the screams that are full of more pain than Clint has ever heard in his life.

Country to popular belief it wasn't Fury or Coulson who convinced him to join SHIELD It was Melinda, and for the past eighteen years she has been a sister to him, his pranking buddy back before Bahrain. She has watched over him, she even sat with him when he was under a psychiatric hold after New York and never once left him, even when nurse and doctors tried to force her to, and he will not let her continue to experience whatever it is that is happening to a second longer than he has to.

Making his way thought the battle Clint makes his way towards where Melinda's screams are coming for and he breaks down the door. When he enters he finds a man standing over Melinda with a scalpel pressed against her neck.

"Do you honestly trust your skill enough to shot me before I can kill her?" The Mystery man who Clint recognizes to be Felix Krause asks.

"You obviously have no idea who I am." Clint says and he fires an arrow directly at Krause, but as he does he realises that he isn't the only one who did as he looks behind him and sees Natasha who fired at the exact same time, and between them Krause goes down with a bullet to the brain and an arrow to the chest.

"Get Tripp." Natasha says to Clint as she rushes over to her wife.

"Mel, Mel, I'm here." Natasha says when she reaches Melinda's side, trying to touch somewhere where there isn't a wound, not sure what to do as tears well in her eyes.

"Nat." Melinda is barely able to say.

"Yeah it's me. Help's coming, we'll get you out of here." Natasha promises her wife as she brushes Melinda's hair back with her hand.

"I can't move." Melinda tells Natasha, once more fighting to keep the screams in, "He gave me something to paralyse me below the neck." She reveals as Coulson, Clint, Tripp, Sam, Tony and Steve come in.

"Okay, we'll fix it." Natasha says, "Tripp why is she in so much pain?" Natasha asks.

"The IV's." Melinda says before once more screaming, not being able to keep them in.

"DON'T PULL THEM OUT." Tripp yells as both Natasha and Coulson are about to, "We don't know what they are, we could do more harm." He reveals.

"Look at her." Natasha says angrily, "She is in excruciating pain, we need to pull them out." She says, pain perfectly clear in her voice as she hates that Melinda is in so much pain and she can't do anything to help.

"Romanoff's right." Tony says, "We'll take the drugs back with us but we can't let her be in this much pain, it's cruel." He says and Tripp nods, as even though he is worried about the side effects he knows that Natasha and Tony are right and that it's cruel to leave her in so much pain, so together Coulson and Natasha carefully pull out the IV'S, and for a couple of minutes the group thinks that it has done nothing until finally Melinda stops screaming.

"Thank you." Melinda says to Natasha before losing consciousness.

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	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for the support you give me.

* * *

"Mel?" Natasha asks frightened.

"It's alright, she's just lost consciousness." Tripp says before she can ask, "My guess is that there was something in that drug to keep her awake so that it would hurt more." He says, "But her body needs rest." He says.

"Here's more of the drug." Tony says after opening the briefcase, "We'll take it back with us so that we can figure out exactly what is in it." He says.

"She's really warm." Natasha tells the others.

"Tasha's right, we've got to get her to the bus." Coulson says as he feels Melinda's forehead and realises that Natasha is right.

"We've got to be careful about moving her." Tripp says, "With all the wounds on them I'm worried about her legs." He tells them.

"Steve." Natasha says simply, knowing that he will be able to move her with ease while also being capable of being careful of her legs.

"I got her." Steve says and he carefully picks up Melinda making sure to be careful of her legs just Tripp said and the group leave the room. Tony being sure to grab the briefcase and the IV's as they go.

* * *

When they get back to the bus Natasha doesn't leave Melinda's side as Tony and Tripp start to attempt to figure out what is going on.

"Give me your phone." Maria says walking over to Natasha while Clint goes to get the plane in the air.

"Why?" Natasha says confused.

"We need to call Lian." Maria tells her friend, "And I don't have her number and you shouldn't have to leave Lin's side." Maria explains to her friend and without a word Natasha hands the phone over and Maria walks out of the room leaving Tripp and Tony desperately trying to find a way to help Melinda and the others hoping that they will.

* * *

Once she leaves the lab Maria walks all the way to the other side of the Cargo Bay before she places her call to Lian May.

"Natasha?" Lian's voice asks after only a couple of rings.

"No, Maria actually." Maria responds.

"Maria. You've found Melinda." Lian responds and Maria has known Lian long enough to know not to question how Lian knows that because she's calling it means that they have found Melinda.

"We have." Maria confirms.

"How bad is she?" Lian asks, concern for her daughter perfectly clear.

"She was tortured." Maria answers, "I'm not exactly sure how bad but when we found her she was screaming in excruciating pain." Maria explains, "We're taking her back to New York but she's having a negative reaction to some kind of drug that the person holding her had going into her." Maria reveals.

"Director May, we need you." A voice says from Lian's side of the phone.

"Where are you?" Maria asks curious.

"Trying to stop stupid people from making stupid mistakes." Lian responds, clearly annoyed.

"Ah, good luck with that." Maria responds as she knows all too well what that is like.

"Send me updates in the form of messages." Lian requests, "Include the location where Melinda was found." She requests, "I will try to be done as quickly as possible and get to New York but as I am in England that may be rather difficult." Lian informs Maria.

"I understand." Maria responds deciding not to question why Lian is doing something which is so clearly work related when she is retired.

"If things change for the worse call me." Lian instructs before hanging up.

Once Maria hangs up she walks back into the lab and over to Sam, Steve and Coulson who are standing back a little bit while Tony and Tripp are trying to help Melinda and Natasha looks like she doesn't want to go more than a few inches away from her wife.

"What's going on?" Maria asks Coulson concerned.

"They're worried about Melinda's temperature so they are trying to get that down, plus they have already drawn blood so that it can be tested as soon as we're at the tower." Coulson explains.

"I've already called Pepper, she's arranged transport." Steve adds.

"What about her other injuries have they said anything about them?" Maria asks.

"Not yet." Sam answers, "Her temperature is the biggest concern so they are focusing on that." He explains and the four of them drift into silence, all of them watching Natasha and Melinda.

* * *

Two hours later everyone is back at the tower and Simmons, Bruce, Tony and Tripp are quickly realising that Melinda needs someone with more than their level of medical knowledge.

"The fact of the matter is that we need to get an actual medical doctor here as soon as possible." Simmons says to everyone but Natasha, as while everyone else is huddled in a group Natasha is where she has been ever since they arrived back at the tower an hour ago, right by Melinda's side.

"With Hydra everywhere, and us all considered to be terrorist isn't that too dangerous?" Skye asks worried as while is prepared to do whatever it takes to help Melinda she is worried about everyone's safety.

"It is, but I don't think we have a choice." Bruce says, "We're running a molecular breakdowns on her blood and the drug, but we need someone who will know what to do in the meantime and that's not one of us." He explains.

"We're scientists, not MD's." Simmons adds, "And she needs a MD." She tells them.

"Give me five minutes." Maria says before walking out of the room, planning on doing something that she is only meant to do in an upmost emergency and personally she thinks this counts.

Once she is in secluded part of the floor she pulls out her phone and dials a number that may be the most classified number on the planet.

"What?" Fury's voice answers after couple of rings.

"Melinda was heled prisoner and tortured for thirty three hours." Maria says, "Because one of the methods of torture was a drug that neither Stark, Banner or Simmons have seen before she needs a doctor to make sure she remains stable while they figure out a way to counteract it." Maria explains, "Where can I find a doctor in New York that I can trust?" She asks her former boss and friend.

"Dr Frank Lucas at Mount Sinai." Fury answers, "I'll place a call to warn him that you are coming but you have to go personally." Fury tells her.

"Got it." Maria responds.

"How bad is Melinda?" Fury asks and Hill is positive that it is only because she knows him well that she can pick up on the concern in his voice.

"Bad." Maria responds, "She was screaming in pain when we found her."

"Keep me updated." Fury requests and the line goes dead.

After hanging up with the doctor Maria heads back to the Medical lab to tell the others, "I've got a doctor we can trust. I'm going to go get him." Maria tells them all.

"How do you know you can trust him?" Clint asks.

"Because I do." Maria says before leaving the room and while those who don't know that Fury is alive are confused those who do realise right away where she would have gotten the name of a doctor she can trust.

Realising that all they can do is wait now Coulson and Clint pull chairs over and sits down on either side of Natasha while Pepper and Skye sit on the other side and Sam and Steve just watch as it becomes clear that Simmons, Tony, Bruce and even Tripp are simultaneously trying to help Coulson, Melinda and Fitz.

* * *

Half an hour after she left Maria returns to the room with a man that none of them recognize but who must be the doctor with her.

"What have we got?" He asks walking in.

"Forty nine year old female has been held captive by enemy forces for thirty three hours, has undergone apparent torture, resulting in burns, contusions, and other injuries including broken fingers." Simmons says.

"Has a GSW to the left knee as well as right thing, both injuries have received basic medical treatment." Bruce explains,

"When found she had two IV's connected administering some kind of drug that we are waiting on the breakdown off." Tony explains,

"Has developed a fever and it is unclear whether that is due to her injuries or the removal of the drug." Tripp adds.

"Okay, I need you all to leave while I treat the patient." The doctor says looking at everyone except Tony, Bruce, Simmons and Tripp.

"I'm her wife, I'm not leaving her." Natasha says speaking for the first time since they arrived back at the tower.

"Of course." The doctor responds, not arguing as he was warned not to, "You can stay, the rest of you need to leave." He says.

"We'll be right outside." Clint says to Natasha before leading Coulson, who looks like he truly doesn't want to leave, out of the room.

"Give me all the test results you have." Dr Lucas says to Simmons, Tony, Tripp and Bruce.

"Hold on Mel, please just hold on." Natasha says quietly into Melinda's ear.

* * *

"Talk Maria, who is he?" Pepper asks her friend when they exit the room.

"Someone we can trust." Maria responds.

"You mean someone Fury said we can trust." Steve comments, not thinking about what he is saying because he thinks everyone here knows the truth about Fury.

"Fury's dead." Pepper and Clint say together.

"Oh, he's not." Clint says when he sees the looks that the others have on their faces, "Seriously he's alive?" he asks slightly surprised, "Doesn't anyone stay dead anymore?" he asks.

"As far as the public is concerned he needs to." Maria tells him, "It's better for everyone that way." She reveals, "And yes, I called Fury." Maria answers.

"Did you know?" Clint asks Coulson.

"Yes, but I thought you did to." Coulson admits.

"I suspected, but I didn't want to ask because I didn't want one of you to have to lie." He admits.

"Pepper." Maria says to her friend concerned as she has noticed that she hasn't said anything.

"I'm sick of secrets." Pepper says before walking away from the group.

"Pepper, wait." Maria says before following her.

"Um, not even going to ask." Clint says with a sigh, then he notices the look his boyfriend has on his face, "She'll be okay." He says to Coulson it being clear that he isn't talking about Pepper, "She has to be." He adds quietly almost like he is trying to force himself to believe it.

Because he knows that that is exactly what he is trying to do Coulson reaches out and grabs his boyfriend's hand.

"Skye, how about you me and Sam go and get some food." Steve comments as he notices the way that Skye is just staring at the door into the lab, "You look like you could use it." He admits.

"I'm okay." Skye responds.

"Steve's right, the doctor will be a while, you might as well have some food." Sam says realising what his friend is doing.

"We'll have Jarvis get you if anything changes." Clint tells Skye and even though she still looks hesitant Skye nods and heads to the kitchen with the two soldiers, Coulson mouthing 'thank you' at Steve as they go.

* * *

"Pepper wait." Maria says chasing her friend won the corridor, "Please, talk to me." Maria says sprinting so that she could block Pepper's path.

"Why? You obviously don't talk to me." Pepper tells her friend.

"Okay, I deserved that." Maria responds.

"You think." Pepper asks and she tries to step around Maria but Maria puts her hands on either of her shoulders stop her.

"I'm sorry, alright." Maria tells her friend, "I keep secrets, it's what I do." Maria reveals, "It's what I've had to do." She tells Pepper, "Hydra has to believe that they have killed Fury, and I never once thought about not keeping it a secret." She tells Pepper, "But I guess I should have told you." She says to Pepper.

"Yes you should have." Pepper responds, "You don't have to keep everything a secret now, not anymore." Pepper tells her friend.

"I don't know how not to." Maria admits.

"Then let me help." Pepper requests, putting her hands on Maria's hands which are still on her shoulder, and Maria nods.

"Let's go back." Maria suggests and Pepper nods.

* * *

"Before we eat there is something I want to do." Skye says to Steve and Sam.

"Okay, what?" Sam asks curious.

"I want to talk to Ward." Skye explains.

"The Hydra sleeper who was on your team right?" Steve asks curious.

"Yeah." Skye responds, "I need to talk to him and AC would be pissed if I talked to him alone." Skye explains, "Please, I need to talk to him." Skye says stressing the need as she notices how hesitant Sam and Steve seem.

"Okay, we'll come in with you." Steve says.

"Thank you." Skye responds.

* * *

A couple of minutes after she asked them if they would go with her to talk to Ward, Skye, Sam and Steve are walking in Ward's 'room'

"Skye, you're okay." Ward says happily then he realises, "She was lying, you were never in danger." He realises.

"I was with May when the Hydra agents attacked." Skye says walking towards Ward though being sure to keep her distance. Both Sam and Steve aren't far behind her both prepared to intervene if they have to, "But she told me hide to protect me." Skye reveals, "Because that's what a good person does. She took on thirty Hydra agents by herself to make sure that I wasn't hurt." Skye reveals, "And you wanted to let her die." Skye says anger clear.

"Did she?" Ward asks, there being no emotion in his voice what so ever.

"Why do you care?" Skye asks.

"I don't." Ward responds sounding just as un emotional as he did as he stands up, causing both Steve and Sam to tense, "But if she was dead I would want to know who to send the fruit basket congratulating them on their good job to." He tells her and it's is only thanks to Steve's quick reflexes that Skye doesn't attack him, though both Steve and Sam are having a hard time controlling their anger.

"You really were using her." Skye says horrified, "All those times you slept together, you never cared." She says looking at Ward like she doesn't really believe what he said, "You're disgusting. Don't you care about anything?" she asks.

"You Skye. I care about you." Ward reveals

"We'll I don't care about you." Skye responds, "You are disgusting and you should be the one who is fighting to survive not May and Fitz." Skye says horrified and she turns away from Ward and starts to walk to the door, only stoping when she hears his voice,

"So she's barely alive, good." Ward says, "Be sure to tell Romanoff that I hope May suffers, that they both suffer, in the most painful way possible." He responds and Skye would very much like to punch him but she doesn't get the chance as Steve beats her too it, punching Ward in the face and knocking him out.

"That help?" Skye asks curious.

"No." Steve responds and the three leave the room.

* * *

Ever since Doctor Lucas arrived he along with Bruce, Simmons, Tony and Tripp have been focusing on May's other injuries while they wait for the blood work. They have treated and dressed her burns and other smaller torture wounds including the broken fingers on her right hand. X-rayed both her bullet wounds and discovered that neither are as bad as they could have been but in both cases the doctor with Tripp's help have to remove the stitches and re stich and dress them.

"She'll need strong antibiotic." The Doctor informs the group.

"What kind?" Bruce asks, "We have a lot of different kinds here." He reveals.

"Show me the list." The Doctor Requests and Bruce nods and pulls up the list on the computer as the machine running Melinda's blood work beep.

"Bloodwork's done." Tony comments as he opens the results, "Holy crap." He says concerned.

"Tony, what is it?" Natasha asks worried looking away from Melinda for the first time.

"High levels of potassium." The Doctor answers as he reads the results, "Do you have the medications to counteract it?" the doctor asks.

"Yeah, two floors down." He answers, "Simmons, give me a hand." He requests and Simmons nods and the pair run out of the lab.

"It's not just her potassium that's a worry." Bruce comments reading the results, "It's definitely the most serious problems, but it's not her only one." He comments with a frown.

"Bruce." Natasha says her voice sounding so venerable that he turns to look directly at her, "How bad is it?" she asks.

"Bad." Bruce answers, "Really bad." He answers and before saying anymore he walks over to her, "But we will do everything we can to help her." He tells her once he is standing right next to her.

"Will you be able to?" Natasha asks, looking up at him, her voice barely a whisper.

"I think so." Bruce responds, "But it's not going to be easy." He admits as he puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.

* * *

As they watch Tony and Simmons run out of the lab Coulson, Clint, Maria and Pepper can all feel their panic rise.

"Tony, what's going on?" Clint ask when they arrive back on the floor several minutes later, both he and Simmons handing different IV bags.

"Get these to the doctors." Tony says handing the bags that he is holding over to Simmons.

"Melinda's bloodwork has come back and it's not good." Tony answers.

"How not good?" Maria asks worried.

"Very." Tony answers, "Her blood worked showed many concerning things but the biggest is her potassium levels." He reveals, "If we don't get them back within range in the next….. Half an hour." He says checking his watch, "Then she will not survive." He reveals to the shock off everyone else.

"No." Maria suddenly says after Tony's revelation, "No, she cannot die." Maria says tears coming to her eyes, "She can't." she says her voice breaking and as she starts to cry Coulson and Clint walk over and the three of them engage in a group hug, all three of them having tears rolling down their faces as they don't want to lose a member of their family.

While that is happening Pepper walks over to Tony.

"Go help The Doctor, Simmons, Tripp and Bruce, I'll help them." Pepper says to Tony who nods and walks back into the lab leaving Maria, Coulson and Clint hugging and Pepper whishing there was something she could do to help.

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	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** Thanks for the support. The final chapter will be out tomorrow.

* * *

As soon as he walks back into the lab Tony walks over to Bruce and Simmons.

"What are we doing?" Tony asks them as Tripp and The Doctor are connecting the different IV bags while Simmons and Bruce are looking at a computer.

"We got the breakdown of the drugs." Bruce reveals and Tony can tell right away that it's not good.

"How bad?" Tony ask.

"Just look." Simmons says and Tony looks at the computer to read the breakdown.

"Crap." Tony says.

"Yeah." Bruce responds, "That's where we are at." He admits.

"Whoever made this would want to have a way to reverse this, to counteract it, we've just got to find it." Simmons tells Tony and Bruce.

"We're not going to have much time." Bruce comments, "I don't know if we are going to be able to figure it out in time." He admits.

"We have to." Tony says looking over at Natasha who is holding Melinda's hand in hers and thinking about Coulson, Clint and Maria's reactions, "We're three genius's if anyone can figure it out then it will be us." He tells them, "Let's get to work." He tells them and Bruce and Simmons nod and the three of them get to work.

* * *

About ten minutes after Tony returned into the lab the elevator opens revealing Skye, Steve and Sam and as soon as Skye sees Coulson, Clint and Maria she freezes.

"No." She says in horror

"Melinda's still alive." Pepper assures Skye as she walked over as soon as she heard the elevator, "But it doesn't' look good." She admits.

"How bad?" Steve asks worried.

"From what Tony said, bad." Pepper answers and because she still looks frozen in place Sam puts an arm around Skye and gently moves her out of the elevator towards the others.

"Ward's unconscious." Steve says to Pepper in a quiet voice, "And if anyone who cares about Melinda goes to see him he's likely to end up being more than unconscious." He reveals.

"I'll make sure no one can enter his room." Pepper says as she and Steve walk back over to the others.

* * *

Even though she knows that Tripp, Dr Lucas, Tony, Bruce and Simmons are bustling around her Natasha isn't paying attention to what they are doing. What she is paying attention to is Melinda and the machines monitoring her as she has enough medical experience to know, without even looking at the other five people in the room that things aren't good and that there is a good chance that, considering everything Melinda's body has been put through in the past two days, that she won't survive.

Once Tripp and Dr Lucas have taken more blood and have walked over to the lab equipment Natasha pulls her chair even close to Melinda and starts to speak,

"I don't know if you can hear me Mel, but I need you to." Natasha says in a quiet voice, "I need you to hold on, please, just hold on." Natasha begs.

"We should let the others come back in." Simmons says to Dr Lucas as while she can't hear what Natasha is saying she can tell that she needs support and if she had to guess she would say that everyone outside does too.

"I agree." Tony comments, "These people are a family, they should be together." He says.

"Make sure they understand that they need to stay out of the way and may have to leave if requested." Dr Lucas requests.

"I'll go get them." Simmons says before leaving the room.

* * *

When Simmons walks out of the medical lab she finds Skye standing between Pepper and Maria, clearly willing to provide comfort if she needs it. Coulson and Clint standing together near them on Maria's side and Sam and Steve standing on Pepper's side also close to everyone else.

"How is she?" Coulson asks as soon as he sees Simmons.

"The same, not very good." Simmons answers, "But as long as you stay out of the way and leave if Doctor Lucas requests it you can come in." Simmons tells them and the others nod and everyone with the exception of Skye walks into the lab, "Are you okay?" Simmons asks concerned walking over to her friend, "Skye, what is it?" Jemma asks concerned when she notices that Skye is avoiding looking at her.

"I never had a family before this team." Skye reveals not looking at Simmons, "I never thought I would." She admits as she looks up at Simmons, "I have a family, the one thing I never thought I would have and it's like I'm losing you one by one." Skye explains, "First Fitz, then Coulson and now May. I don't know if I will be able to handle it if she dies." Skye admits.

"Oh Skye." Simmons says giving her friend a hug and as they hug they both let tears full.

"I don't know if May is going to survive." Simmons admits when they break apart using her hand to wipe away her friend's tears, "But I know that good or bad we should be in there." She tells her.

"Yeah, we should." Skye responds as she whips away Simmons's tears and after reaching down and grabbing Simmons's hand they walk back into the lab.

* * *

When Skye and Simmons enter the Medical lab they find Natasha where she has been ever since they arrived, right near Melinda. Coulson and Clint are sitting either side of her. Maria and Pepper are sitting just behind her, close enough to reach out if needed and Steve and Sam are standing back, clearly because they don't know Melinda they don't want to intrude.

After giving her hand a squeeze Simmons let's go of Skye and walks back over to Tony and Bruce while Skye pulls a chair over and sits right next to Coulson and together the makeshift family waits, providing comfort to one another without words.

* * *

For fifteen minutes those sitting by Melinda's side do so in silence until Clint who happens to be the one looking at the time notices something odd on the machines monitoring Melinda.

"Doc, something's wrong." Clint says concerned and the doctor as well as Tripp races over to see what's wrong.

"Mr Stark do you have oxygen?" Dr Lucas asks after checking the machines.

"Of course." Tony says before racing to get it.

"Doc, what's wrong?" Natasha asks concerned.

"Her Oxygen levels are dropping." The doctor explains.

"Why?" Coulson asks.

"She has too much potassium in her body, we're trying to counteract that at the moment." He explains as Tony arrives with the oxygen.

"Her heart is beating slower which is lowering her oxygen levels." Tony explains to the group as the Doctor starts to connect up the oxygen, "But it is also the side effects of the drugs that she was tortured with as well as the paralytic. Bruce, Simmons and I are working on creating something to counteract to drug." He explains.

"How long is that going to take?" Skye asks.

"We don't know." Tony answers truthfully, "But we're going as quickly as we can." He reveals and after exchanging a nod with the doctor Tony goes back to working with Bruce and Simmons.

"She's stable at the moment." Doctor Lucas reveals, "That is good news." He tells them before walking back over to the other scientists.

"Come on Mels, stay with us." Clint says quietly and Maria reaches out to him and gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze as she does she notices Natasha reach out, with the hand that is not holding Melinda's, to hold Clint's. So like she did with Clint Maria reaches out and puts a comforting hand of Natasha's shoulder too as Coulson reaches out and gently holds both Natasha and Melinda's hands in his and Pepper gives Maria a one arm hug.

* * *

For the next two hours everyone watches as more than once Tripp, Dr Lucas, Simmons, Bruce and Tony exchange worried looks which usually come after one of them looking at the machines or a blood sample.

As no one knows what to say the group, except for Tony, Bruce, Tripp, Simmons and Dr Lucas are silent and even when it comes to those five they are mainly speaking in whispers. The loudest sounds in the whole lab are that of the machines monitoring Melinda.

That is why they all notice right away when the machines start to beep causing Tripp and Dr Lucas to go running towards Melinda.

"What' going on?" Skye asks as the soldiers, spies and Pepper, all know exactly what the beeping means, though none of them want to say it.

"How long until that counter drug will be ready?" Dr Lucas asks as he checks Melinda ignoring Skye's question, not on purpose but because he is more concerned about other things.

"A few minutes." Tony responds.

"I don't know if she has a few minutes." Dr Lucas admits, "I need you all to stand back." He says to Natasha, Clint, Coulson, Maria, Skye, Pepper, Steve and Sam and while almost everyone listens Clint has to basically pull Natasha away.

While that is happening Dr Lucas is doing everything he can to try and keep Melinda alive while Tripp does whatever Dr Lucas tells him to do to do the same.

"Her hearts erratic." Dr Lucas says to Tripp, "If this goes on for much longer then it's going to stop altogether." He says.

"Do something." Natasha tells him, begging clear in her voice something which shocks everyone.

"There is nothing we can do, not until the counterdrug is administered." Tripp explains, "Otherwise anything we do will have no effect." He says.

"Get the defibrillator ready, once the drug is administered we're going to have to shock her heart back into normal sinus rhythm." He says to Tripp who nods and races across the room to get what they need.

"Stark I need that drug stat." Dr Lucas says as Melinda goes into cardiac arrest, "Tripp, airbag." He says and Tripp races to Melinda's head to put the oxygen bag over her mask to get oxygen into Melinda while Dr Lucas preforms CPR.

"Here, it's done." Tony says as he Simmons and Bruce run over to Dr Lucas.

"Will that work?" Coulson ask from where he is crying while holding Skye who is crying into his chest, not watching anything going on. On one side of them Pepper is holding Maria who has tears rolling down her face, her eyes locked on Melinda, and on the other Clint has both his arms wrapped around Natasha who is muttering, "No Mel, don't do this Mel, please don't do this, please Mel," over and over again.

"It's her only chance." Tony answers as Dr Lucas administers the drug, "Defibrillator." He says and no one has to move as Simmons is already standing next to him holding it, it being ready to go.

"Clear." Dr Lucas says and Tripp stops using the oxygen bag and everyone else makes sure that they are not touching her. Dr Lucas places the defibrillator to the correct places on Melinda's chest and her body jumps as the electrical currently passes through her and everyone watches, holding their breath until the machines start to return to normal.

"She's okay." Bruce tells them all and they all let out the breaths they are holding.

"Will she stay that way?" Natasha asks, not caring that she is close to crying in front of all these people.

"Now that she has had the counter drug she should." Dr Lucas reveals, "But she needs to be closely monitored and it would be best that we keep her sedated for now." He explains and the others nod then not wanting to know if it's okay Natasha races back to Melinda's side and one more gabs her hand.

* * *

Now that they know that Melinda is okay it is clear that everyone is allowing themselves to relax a bit more though Natasha is still sitting right near Melinda holding her hand with Coulson and Skye on one side of her, Clint on the other and Maria and Pepper sitting right behind her.

Tony, Simmons, Tripp, Bruce and Doctor Lucas are all still watching Melinda and running a blood sample that they just took from Melinda to see if things are looking up.

"I need your help with something." Steve says quietly to his friend.

"Sure, what do you need?" Sam asks curious.

"Outside." Steve says and the both leave the room, "They all need to eat but I don't seem them leaving Melinda to do that." Steve says to his friend once they have left the lab.

"Me either honestly." Sam responds.

"That is exactly why I want to bring them down some food and coffee." Steve explains.

"Sure, I'll help you." Sam says and the two of them head to the elevator.

* * *

Thankfully for the next couple of hours Melinda remains the same. Sam and Steve manages to get everyone, including the scientists, to eat something.

"I have good news." Dr Lucas says walking over to the group.

"What is it?" Natasha asks.

"All of the drug is out of her system." Dr Lucas informs her, "And her potassium levels are back in the normal range." He reveals, "I do not believe that there will be any long term affects except for the small possibility of sensitivity to pain." He explains, "I would like her to remain sedated overnight and re assess the situation in the morning." He tells Natasha who nods,

"Thank you Doctor." Natasha responds and Dr Lucas nods and walks over to Tony, Bruce, Simmons and Tripp.

"I have to get back to the hospital." Doctor Lucas informs them, "I will be back in a few hours." He says and Bruce, Simmons, Tony and Tripp nod.

"I'll walk you out." Tony offers, his reason being that he wants to have a conversation with the doctor.

* * *

"Thank you for walking me out." Dr Lucas says to Tony when reach the bottom floor.

"Not a problem." Tony responds, "Please send the bill directly to me, not anyone else." He requests not wanting either Natasha or Melinda to have to worry about what is likely to be a very large bill.

"Her bill has already been taken care off." Dr Lucas response as when he got a call from his childhood best friend who is meant to be dead Nick Fury told him that he would pay the bill. "Goodnight Mr Stark." Dr Lucas responds.

"Bye." Tony responds wondering who could be paying the bill.

* * *

It has been a few hours since Dr Lucas left and all Melinda is still stable. Even though it is well after midnight no one has left the lab as between Fitz and May no one wants to. They want to make sure that everyone is okay and thanks to the coffee that around every hour someone goes to get they are able to do that quite well.

* * *

Jarvis informs the group of Doctor Lucas returning at around nine am the following morning and when he does Maria goes down and gets him to bring him to the labs. He spend several minutes assessing Melinda before speaking to the whole group,

"She is stable and doing very well." He informs the group, "The counterdrug seems to have done it's job and I feel confident reversing her sedation." He tells them.

"How long until she will wake up?" Maria asks.

"Anywhere within the next twenty four hours." Dr Lucas answers, "Which is why you all should get a couple of hours of sleep." He informs the group, "Considering her circumstances it would be my guess that she won't wake up for at least five hours so you all should use that time to eat and get some rest." He informs them, "That's Doctors orders." He tells them before leaving the lab.

"He's right." Pepper says, "We could all use some sleep." She comments.

"It would be a good idea." Sam adds and Steve nods in agreement.

"I will if Simmons does." Skye comments she knows her friend has gotten even less sleep than her recently.

"I can't. I've got to look after May." Simmons says.

"Tony and I can do that, go get some sleep." Bruce offers.

"Are you sure?" Tripp asks wanting to make sure that Bruce is okay with that.

"Yeah." Bruce answers.

"Positive." Tony adds knowing that neither he nor Bruce need much sleep anyway.

"Two hours, then I'll be back." Simmons says, "Do you agree?" She asks Skye.

"As long as you get Jarvis to get us if anything changes." Skye says to Tony who nods, "Then in that case I'll see you in a couple of hours." Skye says and she and Simmons walk out the room.

"I'll make sure they are actually going to bed." Tripp says before following them out.

"Get some sleep yourself." Steve says to him before he has left the room.

"Yes Sir." Tripp responds.

"Steve, call me Steve."

"Yes Steve." Tripp says before leaving the room planning on catching up with Skye and Simmons.

"What about the rest of you, are you going to get some rest?" Tony asks curious.

"No." Natasha, Coulson, Clint and Maria answer in unison.

"When was the last time any of you slept?" Steve asks interested.

"Before Melinda was taken." Bruce answers, "Plus we were all woken up the night before because Phil had side effects." He explains.

"You need rest." Steve tells them all.

"We can rest later." Maria informs him.

"I know that none of us want to leave Melinda but wouldn't it be better to leave her while she is asleep so that we can be with her when she is awake." Pepper points out.

"Please don't use logic, none of us are in any state to counter it." Clint requests.

"That's my point." Pepper tells him, "Dr Lucas said that Melinda won't likely be up for five hours. That means we can all get some sleep, or just a quick nap and be back before she wake up and sit with her again." She points out and before anyone can have a chance to argue Natasha speaks.

"Pepper is right, we've all been awake for two days a little sleep will do you good" Natasha tells them it being clear from her wording that she isn't going anyway.

"What about you?" Pepper asks her friend curious.

"I'm not leaving her." Natasha answers, "Asleep or awake, I'm not leaving her." Natasha informs everyone.

"We're not leaving her either." Coulson informs Natasha as Clint and Maria nod in agreement, "You guys should get some sleep though." He says to Sam and Steve.

"You too Pepper." Maria ads.

"If you're not going then I'm not either." Pepper tells her friend.

"Thanks." Maria says in a quiet voice as she likes having Pepper's company.

"I'm staying." Steve says.

"Then at least sit down, both of you." Clint tells them and Sam and Steve nod and sit down.

* * *

An hour later everyone with the exception of Natasha, Tony, Steve and Bruce have fallen asleep in their seats.

"Jarvis, don't wake up Skye, Simmons and Tripp. Let them sleep." Natasha requests.

"Yes Ma'am." Jarvis responds.

"Finally fallen asleep I see." Tony says as he walks over to check on Melinda.

"They've been up for two days so that's not a surprise." Natasha comments.

"What about you?" Steve asks curious, "You must be sleep so when are you going to get some sleep?" he asks his friend curious.

"I don't know." Natasha answers honestly, "All I know is that I have to be here when she wakes." Natasha responds honestly as she shifts in her seat, never once letting go of Melinda's hand.

* * *

"Nat." Melinda's voice almost moans a couple of hours after Natasha and Steve had their conversation about sleep.

"Yeah, I'm here." Natasha responds, "I'm right here Mel." She tells her wife.

"You saved me." Melinda tells Natasha with slight difficulty.

"Yeah, I'm just sorry that I didn't save you quicker." Natasha tells Melinda.

"No then." Melinda says to everyone who is awake, Natasha, Steve, Bruce and Tony's confusion, "He wanted to break me." Melinda reveals, "But because I wouldn't stop thinking of you he couldn't." Melinda reveals, "I love you Nat." Melinda tells her wife and because she has always known her wife's opinion of Love she has never said it, but she doesn't want to not say it anymore, not after what she has just gone through.

"I love you too Mel." Natasha responds to Melinda surprise.

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	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

 **Disclaimer:**  I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

 **AN1:** This is the last chapter.

 **AN2:** Thank you so much to everyone who has read and enjoyed this story. It means a lot to me to share my work and I hope you liked it.

* * *

"I thought…" Melinda begins to say but Natasha cuts her off.

"I thought so too, but I was wrong, you showed me that." Natasha tells her and the pair exchange a kiss, only breaking apart when they hear the sound of Bruce clearing his throat.

"Sorry." Bruce, who is standing next to Tony who is smirking, says, "But I've got to check a few things." He says pressing a button to move the head of the bed up.

"How long?" Melinda asks when she notices that everyone is asleep.

"We rescued you about twelve hours ago." Natasha reveals, "He's dead Mel." Natasha reveals being able to tell what Melinda want's to ask but is forcing herself not to, "He got a bullet from me and an arrow from Clint." She explains and Melinda nods, not being able to explain the relief she is feeling so she doesn't try.

"Captain Rogers." Melinda says shocked when she realises who is awake.

"Ma'am." Steve responds.

"Melinda, please." Melinda requests.

"Melinda." Steve corrects, "How are you feeling?" he asks interested.

"Better than I was." Melinda admits as Natasha gives her hand a squeeze, "And thank you Steve." Melinda tells him.

"What for?" Steve asks confused.

"For having Nat's back during the missions you've done together." Melinda explains.

"It was my pleasure." Steve responds.

"Even though you're feeling better you've still got a long way to go." Tony reveals, "You've got weeks of healing a head of you and quite possibility physiotherapy." He explains.

"Great." Melinda says sarcastically.

"She hates doctors." Natasha explains as he phone starts to ring.

"I don't hate doctors. I hate medical bays and hospitals." Melinda corrects, "There's a difference." She adds.

"It's your Mom." Natasha explains as she looks at the caller ID, "She's helped a lot in the last few days." Natasha reveals, "Hello." Natasha answers, "She just work up." Natasha responds after a minute, "Of course." Natasha says and she sticks the phone out to Melinda, "She wants to talk to you." She says and they reluctantly let go of each other's hand so that Melinda can grab the phone

"Hi Mama."

* * *

A few hours after Melinda wakes up she manages to convince Coulson, Clint, Pepper, Maria, Steve, Bruce, Tony and Sam to go get some sleeps in their actual beds, and even though they are reluctantly they agree and after telling Melinda and Natasha to get Jarvis to get them if something changes they leave them alone.

"How are you really feeling?" Natasha asks when they are alone as she knows Melinda well enough to know that she would have held back in front of the others.

"Like I said, better." Melinda answers, "Which honestly isn't hard considering how I did feel." She admits.

Not sure what else to say Natasha gives Melinda's hand a squeeze and gives her a comforting half a smile.

"What about you, how are you?" Melinda asks.

"Me?" Natasha asks surprised "I'm fine Mel. Just really glad that we got to you in time." She reveals.

"I'm glad about that too." Melinda responds and she tries and fails to keep in a yawn.

"Why don't you try and get some more sleep, I'll be right here." Natasha tells Melinda.

"I'm fine, plus you need sleep too Nat." Melinda tells her wife.

"I'm fine right here." Natasha responds.

Realising that she isn't going to get Natasha to leave, something that she isn't surprise about Melinda moves slightly over in the bed, "Come here." Melinda says referring to the space that she has made in the bed.

"Are you sure?" Natasha asks surprised.

"Positive." Melinda responds and Natasha gets up and walks the step to the bed and climbs up and lays right next to Melinda, putting her arm around her as she does, "Now we can both get some sleep."

"Yeah." Natasha responds placing a kiss to Melinda's cheek though she doubts very much that she is actually going to get some sleep, though she is more grateful than she can put into words to be sharing a bed with her wife again.

* * *

The two weeks that follow Melinda waking up are tough on her. The biggest problem is that because of the injuries to her legs she is limited to either the bed or a wheelchair, both of which she hates which is making her very frustrated.

While a part of Natasha was fearing, and expecting if she was honest, that Melinda would push her away like she did after Bahrain the opposite is true. It's almost like they have become closer because neither of them want to repeat the mistakes of the past, and they won't let themselves or each other push the other away again.

It is the earlier hours of the morning and the first thing that Natasha realises when she wakes up is that she is in bed alone. For a minute she is confused about what woke her until she hears Melinda's voice swearing.

"Mel?" Natasha asks worried turning on the light and when she does she sees Melinda sitting on the floor between their bed and the bathroom, "Are you okay?" Natasha asks racing to her side, "Mel, talk to me." Natasha asks as she sits down across for Melinda being careful not to touch Melinda's legs which are spread out either side of her.

"I hate this." Melinda says her voice quite though pain is perfectly clear, "I hate being this weak." She reveals.

"You're not weak Mel." Natasha tells her, "You're strong." She tells her, "You're healing." She adds.

"I am weak Nat. I can't even walk across the room." Melinda says, "I'm pathetic." She admits her voice breaking.

"No, you're not." Natasha says to her wife as she reaches out and grabs both her hands, "You just need help, and that's okay." Natasha assures her, "It won't be like this forever. Just a couple more weeks." Natasha tells her.

"I hate this." Melinda responds.

"I know." Natasha says moving closer to Melinda and giving her a hug, not knowing what else she can say to help.

* * *

At the same time that Natasha is assure Melinda that she isn't weak Skye and Simmons are down in the medical lab where Fitz is. They are the only ones present as after working three days straight both Bruce and Tony are actually sleeping and it's late enough that no one would think to check the labs and they have a couple of hours before Tripp will come to check if they are okay.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Skye asks concerned.

"Yes." Simmons tells her, "Bruce was able to use your blood to develop a stabilizing agent for Coulson. It's been a week and a half and he's fine, no side effects, it's safe." Simmons tells Skye.

"But giving my blood to Fitz?" Skye asks, "Are you sure it won't kill him or something?" Skye asks concerned.

"No." Simmons answers, "If you were to run a regular blood test on your blood then it looks like regular A positive, the same type as Fitz." Skye reveals, "It's only very deep down that it's different that it has both traces of the GH325 and the stabilizing agent that you naturally produce." Simmons explains, "I'm hoping that if I give Fitz a small transfusion of your blood then it will help him heal." She explains.

"I want to do whatever it takes to help him I really do." Skye assures Simmons "It's just I don't want to hurt him." Skye reveals, "I don't want anyone to be hurt because of me." She tells Jemma.

"That's why I'm only giving him a small dose." Simmons reveals, "To see how he reacts." She revels, "I need him to wake up Skye. And this is the only way I can think of to do that."

"Okay." Skye answers, still slightly hesitant, "Take my blood." Skye says and Jemma draws her blood.

Once Simmons has drawn a small amount of blood from Skye she transfuses it into Fitz and stands and watches him.

A few minutes later Skye walks over to Simmons, grabs her hand and pulls it up to her mouth and places gentle kiss against it. Feeling the kiss Simmons turns towards Skye and kisses her on the lips.

"Thank you." Simmons tells her once they break apart.

"Always." Skye responds as she knows that even with their new relationship Fitz will be important to Simmons and she wold never want to change that.

* * *

For over an hour Skye and Simmons watch. Watch for some kind of sign that Skye's blood is having some kind of effect on Fitz.

"J…J…Je." Fitz's voice starts to say and both Skye and Simmons rush to Fitz's side.

"Fitz?" Jemma asks, "Fitz, can you hear me?" Simmons asks.

"J…Je…ma…a" Fitz says opening his eyes.

"Jarvis get Bruce down here." Skye request.

"Y…ou…. Ok?" Fitz asks and it becomes clear that he is having extreme difficulty talking.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Simmons assures Fitz and he turns his head and sees Skye.

"Sk...ye." he says.

"Yeah, hey Fitz." Skye responds, "Glad you're back with us." Skye tells him.

"G…ooo…ne?" He asks and as he does it becomes clear that Fitz is annoyed that he can't speak correctly.

"You've been unconscious for three weeks." Simmons explains.

"What's going on?" Bruce asks as he and Tony run into the room and Fitz just looks shocked.

"We're at Avengers Tower. Dr Banner and Mr Stark have been helping me find a way to help you." Simmons explains.

"You're awake." Tony says shocked realising what is going on.

"Y…y…es Sir." Fitz answers.

"You did it." Skye says quietly to Jemma having walked over to her after Tony and Bruce started to check out Fitz.

"Yeah, I did." Simmons responds a proud look on her face.

* * *

Because they now have two members of their team who need healing and one who could possibly still experience side effects Coulson's team have officially made the decision to stay at Avengers Tower for the foreseeable future. Steve and Sam stayed for a while but they both left about a day after Fitz woke up so that they could get back to their search for Bucky though they made it clear to the others to call if they need help.

It has been two weeks since Fitz woke up and it has become clear that speech isn't his only problem. He is also having issues with his fine motor skills which is what seems to be bothering him the most. He and Jemma had a talk a few days after he woke up and she told him that while she does love him she isn't in love with him and he discovered her relationship with Skye and he is happy for them both.

Melinda is able to walk on her own now, though the burns and injury to her right thigh still hurt the most it is her left knee which is the biggest problem as it is weak and her movement is quite limited. It is just before dinner and Melinda is down in the gym trying to get her strength back.

"You know it's going to take a while." Clint's voice says.

"I don't have time." Melinda responds as she tries to push weights with her leg.

"You've got to." Clint says walking over to her, "Do you remember what you told me when I dislocate my shoulder twice in two hours?" he asks.

"This is different." Melinda responds as she moves so she is sitting on the piece of gym equipment she is using instead of using it.

"How?" Clint asks.

"Because you could take the time to recover." Melinda tells him, "That's a luxury we don't have now, one I don't have." Melinda tells him, "I need to get better."

"You've always told me that looking after yourself is more important than anything." Clint tells his sister sitting down next to her, "So I'm telling you Mels. If you push yourself to hard then you're just going to end up worse." He tells her, "You were tortured for over a day, that takes time for your body to recover from." Clint reveals, "Plus dinner is ready so come eat." Clint tells her.

"Is that why you came down here?" Melinda asks curious.

"Of course." Clint responds with a smirk, "Giving you a pep talk was just a bonus." He admits.

"I'll see you upstairs." Melinda responds, rolling her eyes at him.

* * *

A few days later Natasha, Melinda and Maria are sitting in one of the public lounge rooms playing poker. Normally they would have asked Coulson and Clint to join them but when they went to find them they found the door to the office that Tony gave Coulson to work out of locked, and they decided that it was better to leave them alone.

Skye, Simmons, Tripp and Fitz are in another one of the living rooms doing their own thing most likely playing games that help Fitz, and Bruce is down in one of the labs.

Pepper and Tony on the other hand are in their rooms where they have all days having a long overdue conversation.

"This isn't working anymore." Pepper tells Tony.

"I know." Tony responds with a sigh, "I love you Pep, I really, really do." He tells her.

"And I love you too." Pepper responds reaching out and grabbing his hand, "You're my best friend Tony."

"And your mine." Tony responds.

"But I don't think we can work together." Pepper says, "Even though I know we both want to." She say.

"I agree, but I think we both also want to make it work with other people." Tony points out, "I've seen you and Maria." Tony reveals, "She's better for you than I'll ever be." He says as he knows that without a doubt.

"And Bruce is better for you." Pepper admits, "What do we do now?" She asks, not sure what else to say.

"You go get your girl and I go get my guy." Tony suggests.

"I don't want our friendship to change." Pepper tells Tony.

"Neither do I." Tony responds, "But I don't think it will." He admits, "We're not ending a relationship Pep, we're fixing it." He admits, "Going back to what it should be." He says.

"I like the sound of that." Pepper admits as they stand up, "I want you to be happy Tony." She tells him.

"And I want you to be happy too." Tony reveals and the pair embrace, "But don't think I won't be making it clear to Hill what will happen if she hurts you." Tony says in a quiet voice as they hug.

"And I will to Bruce." Pepper responds.

* * *

It is five minutes later that Pepper walks into the lounge room where Melinda, Natasha and Maria are playing poker. Natasha and Melinda are sitting on the couch while Maria is sitting on the floor.

"Hey Pepper, want to join us?" Melinda asks then she realises the look on her face.

"Pepper, you okay?" Natasha asks curious and slightly concerned.

"Kind of." Pepper admits as she sits down on one of the armchairs.

"What happened between you and Tony?" Maria asks concerned.

"We ended things." Pepper reveals.

"Are you okay?" Melinda asks.

"Do you want to drink?" Natasha asks.

"Yeah, I think I am okay." Pepper admits, "Maybe later on the drink." She comments, "We realised that why we love each other and are best friends being together just doesn't' work." She explains.

"And you're okay with that?" Maria asks walking over and sitting on the arm of the chair that Pepper is sitting on.

"Yeah, I think I am." Pepper admits looking up at Maria.

"So you don't need me to kick Tony's ass?" Maria asks.

"No, I don't." Pepper admits, "But I appreciate the offer." She reveals and the pair exchange a smile.

"So do Mel and I have to start locking you two in rooms together or are you going to realise what everyone else sees?" Natasha asks curious and if she wasn't too busy trying not to laugh at what her wife said Melinda would maybe be concerned about the looks Pepper and Maria are giving them.

"What? Neither of you are very subtle." Natasha says with a shrug, not fazed at all.

"Thanks Natasha." Maria says sarcastically, "She's right." Maria admits, with sigh, knowing that now Natasha has outed her she doesn't have a choice, "I do like you Pep, as more than a friend, but it's totally fine if you don't feel the same way or if you don't want anything to happen yet, or whatever." Maria says.

"I do feel the same way." Pepper reveals to Maria surprise, "I really, really like you Maria, so much so that even Tony said that you're better for me than he is, and I want to give us a shot if you're willing." Pepper reveals.

"I am." Maria confirms and Pepper pulls Maria down onto the couch and the pair exchange a kiss. When they break apart they turn to Melinda and Natasha who both have smirks on their faces.

"Hold on, is anyone in this tower Straight?" Maria asks curious once she and Pepper break apart but they continue to sit on the small armchair together.

"Bruce." Melinda offers.

"Fitz and Tripp." Pepper suggests.

"Fitz and Tripp are only days away from admitting that they like each other, and that it wasn't Simmons that Tripp was trying to impress when he first joined the team." Melinda reveals.

"And Bruce and Tony have been in causal relationship for months." Pepper reveals, knowing that for a fact not just because Tony and her talked about it before it started but because she had to assure Bruce many times that she was okay with it, "I think they're going to give it a real shot now." She admits, hoping that they do because like she said to Tony she thinks they are good together.

"Really?" Maria asks surprised.

"Really." Pepper confirms.

"Huh, that makes no one then." Natasha comments, then shrugs, "Pepper are we dealing you in?" Natasha asks curious.

"Sure." Pepper responds and the two couples start to paly poker.

* * *

It is a week and a half later when to her surprise Natasha wakes up in bed alone.

"Jarvis, where is Melinda?" she asks concerned.

"Down in the gym." Jarvis answers and Natasha gets out of bed, gets dressed and heads downstairs.

* * *

When Natasha gets to the gym she finds Melinda sitting on the sparing mats with frustrated tears on her face.

"Mel, what's wrong?" Natasha asks concerned as she walks over to her wife.

"My stupid knee." Melinda says standing up, swaying for a second but not falling over, "I can't fight. Not the way I could."

"It's only been six weeks. It takes time to heal." Natasha tells her wife.

"What if I can never fight again?" Melinda asks, "Who am I then?" Melinda asks.

"You're who you've always been." Natasha tells her reaching out and putting her hand on Melinda's cheek, "You're my wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a mentor and a survivor. A smart, strong, beautify woman. You're Melinda Qiaolian May and that doesn't change just because you're hurt or because you can't fight." Natasha tells her wife, "I love you Mel and I always will." Natasha assures her wife and the pair exchange a kiss.

"I need to be able to fight again Nat." Melinda admits one they finally break apart.

"I know you do." Natasha responds, "And I'll help you, but you need to know that fighting isn't all you are, you will still be you if you can't fight." She tells her wife as she knows that even when Melinda was in admin she continued to train regularly meaning that she never loss that part of herself.

"Thank you." Melinda responds, not sure what she would do if it wasn't for Natasha, "I don't know about you but I'm interested in doing something physical that isn't fighting." Melinda says with a smirk.

"I like the sound of that." Natasha responds and the pair leave the gym hand in hand, smirks clear on both their faces.

* * *

For the next few days Melinda and Natasha, usually joined by Maria sometimes train together to try and help Melinda get her strength back in her knees. It has been about three days since their late-night conversation and Melinda has been convinced by Maria and Natasha to take a day off and she is sitting in the lounge area of hers and Natasha's living room watching something on TV while Natasha trains with Clint when she hears a knock on her door.

"Come in." Melinda says and Coulson walks in and sits next to her.

"What are you watching?" He asks curious.

"No clue, Skye put it on." Melinda answers as she turns the TV off, "What's up?"

"I've started making lists of everything that I need to do to get new SHIELD of the ground and I realised that the first thing I should do is name a new Deputy Director, and if you're willing, I want it to be you." Coulson reveals.

"Me?" Melinda asks surprise, "What about Maria?"

"Maria is under too much scrutiny to have anything to do with New SHIELD at the moment." Coulson tells her, "That's part of the reason why she is staying at Stark Industries." He reveals.

"The fact that she gets to work with her Girlfriend every day is probably a bigger reason." Melinda tells Coulson.

"Probably." Coulson admits, "So what do you say Melinda. Do you want to be Deputy Director?" he asks and for several minutes they are both silent.

"I may never be able to go into the field again." Melinda says simply, "You should choose Clint. He's a better choice." Melinda tells her best friend.

"If you honestly don't want the job then that's fine, but Mel I don't care if you have to remain on the sidelines because of your knee. I want you as my deputy because I know there is no one else who can do the job as well as you or who the team respects and trust enough. So forget about your knee for a minute, do you want the job?" Coulson asks.

"Yes." Melinda answers in a small voice.

"Then it's yours, Commander May." Coulson says with a smirk.

"Thank you, Director." Melinda responds with a smirk.

* * *

A few days later Melinda has gotten up to do Tai-Chi something she only started doing in a modified way a few days earlier, after a couple of sessions with Natasha, and is surprise to find when she arrives at where she does Tai-Chi that someone else is there, clearly waiting.

"Morning." Skye says when she sees Melinda.

"Skye." Melinda says surprise.

"I realised that you were doing Tai-Chi again and if you're still willing I would really, really, like to learn." Skye explains, "But maybe I should have talked to you first, instead of ambushing you. Sorry." Skye says feeling bad.

"Skye, it's okay. I'm still willing to teach you if you are willing to learn." Melinda responds.

"Cool, I mean, thanks." Skye says then making an effort not to look at Melinda she says "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Melinda asks confused.

"For hiding." Skye responds, "I should have helped you fight then maybe you wouldn't have been hurt."

"Skye, look at me." Melinda says and Skye hesitantly looks up at the older woman who has taken several steps closer to her, "You have nothing to apologise for. I told you to hide because I knew the chances weren't good and I didn't want anything to happen to you." Melinda reveals, "You don't have any reason to blame yourself and I don't want you to." Melinda tells the young girl.

To Melinda's surprise instead of responding Skye throws her arms around Melinda giving her a hug, "I'm soo glad that you're okay." Skye tells Melinda, "You're the only mother I've ever known, please don't scare me again." She requests, saying what she has been trying to get the courage up to say for days, and Melinda is too shocked to do anything other than just return the hug.

"I'll do my best." Melinda says about a minute later when she has completely comprehended what Skye said.

"Thank you." Skye responds.

"Let's get started." Melinda responds as she does she knows, even though she is hiding in the doorway, that Natasha is watching them with a smile on her face.

* * *

It takes five weeks from when Skye and Melinda do Tai-Chi together for that fist time for Melinda's knee to be okay enough for her to fight even close to her old skill level again, and that is partly thanks to a micro thin brace that Tony created for her that she can wear on her knee at all times that helps but doesn't hinder her movements.

In those five weeks everyone's relationships have developed more and just like Natasha suspected when they first arrived at Avengers Tower the make ship family that once consisted of Natasha, Melinda, Coulson, Clint and Maria has definitely gotten some more members in the forms of Skye, Tripp, Fitz, Simmons, Pepper, Tony and Bruce.

After weeks of dancing around each other, after a little bit of help from Skye and Simmons, Fitz and Tripp have admitted their feelings for one another and have started a relationship.

Because Melinda is now healed and Fitz is doing better Coulson feels comfortable enough in the team for them to go on their first mission back and they are starting with a big one, dealing with a Hydra base.

Coulson's team plus Clint and Natasha, both of whom are now official members, are on the bus getting prepped. Fitz and Simmons are in the lab. Tripp, Clint and Coulson are up in the command centre running though the last minute Intel and checking security while Natasha, Skye, and Melinda are down in the Cargo Bay doing a weapons check before they leave New York.

"Skye, go help Coulson. We've got this." Melinda tells the young girl that both she and Natasha have gotten closer to in the last few weeks, someone who they are both very, very protective of now.

"You sure?" Skye asks from where she is helping Natasha count the clips of ICER rounds.

"Yeah." Melinda responds.

"Okay, see you up stairs." Skye responds, "I got to twenty." She tells Natasha before running upstairs. As she does Melinda walks over to Natasha.

"You ready for this?" Natasha asks curious.

"Defiantly." Melinda responds.

"Positive?"

"Positive." Melinda confirms, "My burns and fingers have healed and I've got most of my movement back in my knee, I'm good." Melinda assures her wife.

"Good." Natasha responds, "Hydra base for our first mission, I don't know what Coulson is thinking." She says with a shake of the head.

"He's thinking that this is a chance we can't pass up." Maria's voice says and Melinda and Natasha turn to see Maria standing on the cargo bay ramp in her tac gear.

"What are you doing here?" Melinda ask surprise to see her.

"What you think I would miss your first mission? No way." Maria responds as she walks over to them, a smile clear on her face, "Oh and I have a message from Fury, he said, and I quote 'I'm trusting my girls to keep my boys in line, don't let me down.'" Maria quotes.

"Of course he said that." Natasha responds as she and Melinda share an amused look, "But honestly does he expect anything different? We've been keeping them in line for years." She comments.

"Don't look at me, I'm just the messenger." Maria responds.

"What did Pepper say when you told her you were coming?" Melinda asks curious.

"That she knew I have to go with my sisters, but that I better not get hurt." Maria responds.

"Well then I guess we better not let that happen." Natasha responds and the three of them exchange a look, it being clear that none of them are going to get one of them get hurt.

"All personnel to the command centre." Coulson's voice says.

"That's our cue." Maria says walking across to the stairs.

"Does Phil know you're coming?" Melinda asks curious as Maria climbs the stairs.

"No." Maria says as she climbs the last few steps causing Melinda and Natasha to share an amused look.

"Here we go." Melinda says with a smile as she raises the cargo ramp.

"Here we go." Natasha responds and the pair exchange a kiss, both of them knowing without a doubt that here, with each other and the rest of their family, doing whatever it takes to protect people is exactly where they want to be, both of them glad for the second Chance they have with each other.

THE END

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AN3: I have no plans at the moment for a sequel but that could change.


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